This is truely a great camera! And in combination with the 18-200 VR it's amazing! This is 90% of the D3 at a fraction of the cost. If you are serious about photography, this camera is strongly recommended.

However, there are some drawbacks, but these applies to all pro level cameras in general. It's a solid camera, but is also big and heavy. A D40 looks like a compact compared to the D300. But if you're serious about photography, this is a price you are more than willing to pay.

This camera is so well-designed with many, many useful features. Great results even with ISO 3200 (looks like 800 did on the d80). I upgraded from the d80 and it's an enormous difference. I would buy it all over again. The auto-focus "fine-tune" feature for different lenses has been great. It is alot heavier than the d80, but you adjust quickly to the difference. You won't be sorry!

Wow!. Coming from the last 4 years with a D70, this is a phenomenal camera! Combined with my 18-200mm VR Everyday, and 70-200mm VR occasional sports lens, there's nothing else I need and I'm in love with this thing!

I'm not going to bore you with details. I've a headache from trying to read the hundreds of stellar reviews here. Everything that needs to be said has already been said. Can't go wrong with this camera.

Other reviews have gone into depth with the d300's superb technical features. They should be carefully considered. This is not a camera for the casual amateur. There is no fully automatic control that casual amateurs use probably 99% of the time. This camera's strengths are in the shooter's ability to control the extensive capabilities that Nikon has designed into the d300. One doesn't learn this camera overnight. Pros should find the d300 a challenge and valuable tool as well. For me this is a great step up from my d70. And, I can use all my Nikon lenses from my film shooting days.
I also want to praise Photoworld, Amazon's sales partner, for the prompt and thorough handling of the order, especially when a problem occurred. Photoworld had processed the original order within 24 hours and shipped via UPS. When I saw no UPS tracking action beyond the pick-up notice, I contaced Photoworld which contacted UPS immediately. After a UPS trace failed to locate the shipment, Photoworld shipped a replacement immediately. Photoworld is a model of superior service.

I was using the Nikon D50 for the last 18 months before deciding to upgrade my camera body. I knew I was outgrowing the D50. I was beginning to see the inconvenience of some of the features of the D50 because I was going into menus more and more frequently.

I initially thought of the D80 but felt it was not enough of an upgrade. I then looked at the D200, but the D300 was just announced and I knew that was the one I would upgrade to.

I am very pleased that I chose this camera. The buttons are well placed and eliminates me from having to go into the menus as often and even then, the My Menu function allows me to add my favotire functions to my own custom menu.

I also love the low light/high ISO capabilities. I do a lot of dusk/night shots in the street and find my results are better than I could ever do with my D50.

The last thing I love is the build. It just feels right in my hands. The addition of the MB-D10 grip is not needed, but is an added benefit for further balancing the camera with a long pro-level zoom lens.

Overall, I have not been disappointed and would recommend this to anyone looking to upgrade to a semi-pro camera.

I have always been a Nikon person and having this camera shows me why I love Nikon so much. When the D100 came out I bought it right away. Since then I have had two kids and found out that Nikon was about release the D300. I read the reviews and decided it was time for me to buy my new camera. I bought the D300 about a month ago and have shot about two thousand pictures. All of my shots were like Wow.
I did have a problem with the memory card slot though. Never have I seen a camera have this problem. I treat my cameras like babies. I went to change out a memory card and the eject wouldn't work. Finally I got the card out only to see that it wouldn't let me put a new card in. I looked in the slot to see that one of the gold prongs was bent. I looked at my memory cards and they were fine. So I was a little upset. I took the camera back to where I bought the camera and they were as shocked as I was. They right away gave me a new camera and I couldn't have been happier.
Everything that other people have said about this camera are so true. I highly recommend this camera.

I have owned a D100, D200 and now a D300. It is an easy camera to use and gives excellent photos. In using the D300, there is nearly a seamless transition between the D200 and D300 with an improved quality and features. Another positive feature is that both the D200 and D300 use the same Compact Flash card, battery and cable release.

Known for their outstanding products - especially in the field of photography - Nikon never skimped when it came to their cameras or lenses. Following in this tradition comes the Nikon D300. Not only does it incorporate the Nikon practice of excellence, it actually manages to surpass itself.

Before you look at the price, consider that the D300 (especially coupled with the 18 - 200 lens) is a masterpiece of construction and quality. If you have owned an SLR digital before, setting up is a breeze. The results of the hard efforts that Nikon put into this product are immediately noticeable with your first shot.

The screen is larger than the D200 (and subsequent models). Also, the camera manages to take photos so crisp and sharp that EVERY DETAIL is apparent. Touch-ups via software programs are not needed. The D300 allows you to do some clever editing while taking the shots so that you merely have to load the pictures to your computer/ printer and print them. In fact, it is almost impossible to take a bad shot with this camera.

Adding to the much appreciated bells and whistles you will find that the flash is improved. D-Lighting technology allows you a wide variety of choices. A self-cleaning sensor (via the menu screens) is something that cameras have needed for quite some time. Now throw in the 3 inch VGA monitor (makes editing with the D300 a snap), the 6 frame per seconds shooting capabilities and the 51 points that autofocus allows you and it adds up to everything any photographer could want.

Is it heavy? Weighing in at approximately seven pounds (with the lens), it is but the amount of flexibility and the excellence of the pictures more than make up for this. The body is soundly constructed and a Quick Set Up guide is very generous in details so that you can start taking photos like a pro right out of the box. Just holding it inspires the rawest of photographers to take professional pictures. Is it expensive? Yes but the flexibility, ease of use and choices that the D300 provides the photographer with more than make up for the cost. Not even the smallest detail has been omitted when it comes to this camera. I can not imagine the difference between the D300 and the D3. A generous 12.3 megapixels give your photos amazing clarity and the sharpest details available.

So the weight and the cost can not be factored into the highly professional results the D300 provides to users.

I had the D300 for a little over 3 days and the back LCD Monitor failed - it started flashing and wouldn't quit! Bummer for a $1800 camera.

Over the 3 days the camera had been on for about 5 hours and I had taken about 50 images. I hadn't taken it out of the house.

I had to send the camera back for warranty repair. It has been 12 business days and Nikon can't tell me when it will be shipped back to me. Check the web before you buy. The D300 has lots of problems.

Infant mortality is indicative of manufacturing problems and poor quality control. I replaced my D200 with the D300. The D200 was solid and very reliable. If you can't trust your camera what good is it. What do you do if you're in Africa, Thailand, etc?

RECOMMENDATION: Ignore the hype. Buy a D200 or wait 12 months till Nikon sorts out the bugs in the D300. Or, heaven forbid, buy a Canon.

I bought the D300 through AMAZON - Cameta Camera. They changed their 800 number to an internationl number with a $5 access fee. They were no help with this problem.

RECOMMENDATION: Buy high-end gear and electronics from Adorama or B&H, they will help you - no problem. Just buy books and CDS from Amazon.

My personal experience in digital photography began with a Sony 4.1 megapixel point & shoot in 2001, and graduated through the Nikon Coolpix 8400, D-200 and now the D-300. The D-200 is an excellent DSLR but the D-300 represents a substantial upgrade, particularly in color saturation, focusing, noise reduction and real-time display. Using the same lens( 18-200 VR DX lens) has resulted in deeper and richer colors with greater resolution, exclusive of post exposure processing software. This camera best approaches film resolution and color saturation of any digital camera I have experienced. The cost is significant but the results justify the investment. The professional reviews rave about the D-300 and those reviews are accurate according to my personal experience, both in shooting and printing the shots on my Canon Pro-9000. If you can afford it, the D-300 is well worth its purchase price.

Fantastic Camera that just keeps getting better every time I pick it up. I waited for years to jump from 35mm to digital SLR, scary jump when you think how fast technology leaps forward. The Nikon D300 has more features than I know how to use, guess its time to take a digital photography class. I am getting that rush that came long ago with taking pictures and the results are awesome.

I Owned a D80 for a bit over a year and too about 15,000 pictures with it and thought it was great. I picked up one of these and didn't take a picture with it and realized that I wanted one. Everything is just in the right place and works better. If you are at all on the fence about getting one just do it. Yes it may seem like a lot of money but anything less is throwing money away.

I already have Nikon D200 .. but will I see the D300 I said I must buy it >> when its come to me and I start photo !!! waw wonderfull color and white balance ... and the built in flash much much better in white balance also ... The live view is great and its 8 frame dode ! I use it for sport photography I have it with nikon SB-800 and Nikon 17-55mm and Nikon 70-200mm + 1.7X telecoverter ,,, all from amazon ....
The camera is in wonderfull price ....

Something unbleveable ! is the High ISO ... comparing with the D200 if I make it more than ISO800 its start noise , In D300 you can photo up to ISO1600 with few noise ,,,

Last thing the foacus point ... they are full in the frame 51 point !!! but you can use 15 of them in one times .... The battery still more than The D200 ...

The negative thing I feel the body in some swiths in the camera became worest (the m,s,c) swich near the lens ... + the on and off swithcs and the memory open swithc and (the facous switch) need to be more strong such as the D200,
the battery cover + the memory cover + the Nikon MB-10 grip they are made of plastic !!!

This is the only things need to approve by nikon ... and you can feel it for the first time ... If something more ... you can ask me Question

I am an amateur with experience (meaning I don't pay my bills through photography). I previously owned a D70 and an EOS for 35mm film.

Thing is, I wanted to upgrade the digital system I had with the D300 and, in summary, the camera is SO BEAUTIFUL, SO RELIABLE, INCREDIBLE PICTURES, etc etc... it's a dead-on choice for a digital SLR!!

This camera has many pluses:

-Many pro's says 12Mpx for an APS sensor (= sensor with a conversion factor, smaller than a 35mm film's frame size) is too much for such a small sensor, since the image's will be quality-restricted because the pixels are too small... My response is that after shooting for a couple years with a 6 Mpx D70, the quality difference IS GREAT... There IS a leap in resolving power with the 12Mpx sensor in the D300.. It blew my mind away. More on this at the end of the review.

- The D300 picture controls, specially saturation, reaches a level of in-camera adjustments unheard of in previous Nikon DSLR's. Saturation levels will reach levels comparable with Fuji's Velvia film, and that's a lot! This gives you the advantage of reduced post-production, since you are capable of tweaking pictures in-camera that will suit your taste (It did for me)

- Active D-lighting. DSLR's tend to have problems with highlly contrasted subjects (Subjects with ample dynamic range), and this is one of the many reasons why many pro's still use film (because it will deal better with high contrast). The ADL function in the D300 does allows me to capture contrasty subjects under difficult light conditions, reducing highlight blowout in the picture, while preserving shadow detail.. It really works. It allows me to use digital for shot's that would have required film or in-camera filtration!

- Splendid ISO range!! Now I can take pictures in very low light conditions that would have been impossible with my D70 because of the high noise inherent to a high ISO. The D300 does manage high ISO noise like no other camera I've used in the past! ISO 1600 images are very very clean (ISO3220 is clean, HI-1 mode (ISO 6400) is too noisy for me)! This is great news! This also means I don't have to lug a tripod for low light shots (unless I were doing landscape work; In such case, I do use a gitzo tripod for every shot I take, which takes me to the following point):

- Mirror up mode! I didn't have this feature in my D70, and I love to be able to raise the mirror when doing tripod shots (Landscape) in order to gain maximun sharpness by minimizing vibrations.. Also included are Live view mode (It allows you to see the subject in the camera LCD while composing the picture, instead of using the viewfinder. I use this feature when the camera position won't allow me to see through the finder, and it really helps).

- The D300 autofocus is very reliable (3D autofocus mode is realy helpful when tracking moving subjects). Very high frame per second count ( Up to 8 FPS with the accessory grip).

- Weather sealed. I live in a tropical part of the world, where things can get pretty damp and wet, and the D300 is all about getting pictures, and I don't have to worry about the weather!!

- 14 bit RAW is the way to go if you are interested in the highest image quality and rich tonal gradations. My D300 gives me that option! with my D70, i had to work with an inferior 12 bit Raw file... I usually shoot RAW (14 bit) + JPG (You NEED a a 4 Gigs CF card as a minimum, since the files tend to be big..)

- Last, the camera allows me to save the combination of settings i need tuned for specific purposes. I have a menu bank tuned for portraits, another menu bank for landscape, another for low-light conditions and another one for highlly saturated images! This is just wonderfull!! For example, let's say I am doing tripod work and I need to change the camera setting for portrait work, and I need to do it FAST, instead of browsing all the settings I need to change, I just select a menu bank tuned for portraits, so I don't loose my time changing setting by setting!

On the minus side:

- Nikon didn't implement a release timer when using mirror up mode, which seems foolish to me, since a timed release AND mirror up, when used on a tripod, are the way to go in order to reduce vibrations... this forced me to buy a release cable, and this leads me to the next point:

- The cable release for this camera is of the 10 pin family, and it is expensive, compared to the 15$ IR release I used on my D70...

- As much as I've become in love with Active D-lighting, there are times when i need to turn it off. This happens when I shoot for silhouttes (heavy backlighting) since I WANT a deep, textureless black ( silhouttes are meant to look like that) and the ADL function will try to preserve shadow detail, creating a murky grey instead of a deep black.


To sum it up, this camera is great!! My jaw still falls wide open whith amazement with the images coming out from the D300...

One final point: I HAD an EOS 35mm film camera, because I no longer feel that 35 mm film gives me superior quality when compared to my beloved D300!!! This camera is THAT GOOD!

I wrote a review of the D80 after I had used it a fair amount. The D80 was OK, but definitely did not warrant all of the praise that people heaped on it.

The D300 is a usable camera. First, the noise has been greatly improved at higher ISOs. I shoot a lot of available light and indoors, and I no longer fear going over 400 ISO, as I did with the D80. I get usable shots every time at 1600 ISO. That's plenty fast for any indoor shots as well.

The D300 is well sealed. I shoot in a humid climate (San Francisco fog), and the D80 would get moisture in the body. The D300 is tight as a drum.

The review screen is amazingly bright and clear. Again, a vast improvement.

I would recommend the D300 highly to anyone. This is coming from someone who gave the D80 only 3 stars. There is no comparison between the two cameras.

Since mine will be the 73rd review, I will try not to rehash in great detail all the great things about this camera (plenty of great info elsewhere), but instead, briefly try to mention some of the things that make this camera, to me, so extraordinary and so valuable.

Color rendition. Once I read about the extraordinary control over color now in the photographer's hands, this camera became extremely compelling. You can get the details elsewhere, but I can hardly believe all the options in color available. Still mastering it. Amazing.

Fast frame rate. You can get 6 frames per second as is, and with the battery pack option, you can go to 8fps! Not much difference between that and a D3 @ 9fps. That's incredible!

MUCH better ISO/noise performance. "3200 is the new 800," the Nikon rep said. He said it's not the company's official claim, but I would say that's pretty close. My shots in ISO 3200 are MUCH cleaner (less noise) than I used to be able to take at 1600. It compares to 1000 and/or 1250. So maybe a bit less than 2 stops.

3" LCD. It's not color accurate, but colors are GREAT for a camera LCD and it's obviously great for exposure and details. ZOOM control on this is lightning fast, too!

51-point AF. You have to use it to appreciate it. Much more convenient for precise focusing than the 11-point I used to rely on.

12mp CMOS sensor (self cleaning). 14-bit RAW files produce at about 25MB.

D3 performance for barely more than 1/3 the price!

My conclusion is that this is not merely an evolutionary leap for Nikon, but really a raising of the bar in terms of performance. And they did it while holding costs down in the reasonable range. These improvements really open up a lot of possibilities beyond what existed before. If you're a committed Nikon shooter, and you can live without the full frame of the $5k D3 (you can), then don't miss this gem of an SLR!

In a list of so many glowing reviews, I will keep this one short and sweet.

This is a fantastic camera, if you can afford it. The standouts are fantastic color saturation, terrific white balance control, terrific ISO performance, incredible AF functionality and on and on. Full-featured, ergonomic, sturdy and substantial, this is clearly the leading "prosumer" model currently. Having said that, this is a camera designed for more advanced amateurs and the professional market -- you don't have preset "shooting modes" like other digital SLRs have, for example -- you have the standard "P, S, A, and M" options. The camera assumes you know enough about photography to judge exposure decisions yourself for certain scenes, and this camera fully empowers you to do that easily and ergonomically.

The kit version comes bundled with an excellent lens, too! The 18-200mm VR lens is terrific -- a wide range of uses, actually a terrific "walk-around" lens, and the VR (vibration reduction) feature greatly reduces the need to have a tripod for most shooting conditions.

In all, if you can afford this price range, and are up to a camera geared for a more advanced amateur photographer, this is the best in class at the moment.

I came to the d300 by way of a d70. Wow. That is like going from a Honda Civic (my car, actually) to a Mercedes. Everything about it is in a new class. The 14-bit a/d converter results in more nuanced colors (although this is not a radical change). The meter is the best I've used in 40 years of hobby photography. The controls, once I got used to them, are perfectly intuitive. Build quality is fantastic. The manual, though 421 pages long (!), is well written and easy to use. My d300 came with Nikon CaptureNX, which has a few annoying interface features, but works quite well. Best levels/curves function I've used (much better than Adobe's). What fun to own a toy like this!

I HAVE OWNED NIKON CAMERAS SINCE 1972 STARTING WITH THE NIKON F SERIES
INCLUDEING THE PHOTOMIC F-2 ETC. ETC.......
AND THEN I EVENTUALLY WENT DIGITAL........THE BEST MOVE I EVER MADE
WELL AFTER OWNING VARIOUS NIKON DIGITALS.......I NOW OWN THE NIKON D300
I RECIEVED IT LAST NIGHT........MADE ALL THE SETTING ON THE MENUS THAT I PREFER..........MADE SOME TEST FOTO'S DOWNLOADED THEM TO MY COMPUTER
AND PRINTED THEM WITH MY EPSON PHOTO PRINTER........TO SAY THE LEAST
I"M VERY IMPRESSED WHAT THIS MAGNIFICENT MACHINE CAN DO.......
THE NEW SENSOR AND THE THREE INCH HI DEF VIEWER , TRULY ARE WONDERFUL............ THE FEATURES ARE JUST TO NUMEROUS TO MENCHION
IF YOURE CONSIDERING THIS AWESOME MACHINE........I HIGHLY RECCOMEND IT
AND I WOULD PURCHASE IT THRU AMAZON AS I DID........I CANT WAIT TILL I GO ON MY NEXT CRUISE VACATION TO USE MY NEW TOY.........

There is nothing else to say. Because it is just an amazing camera.

Regards,
Burak Imir

I have owned Nikon Cameras and Lens' since 1965 when I bought my Nikon F from Schiller Camera in Pacific Beach, California. I purchased my present Nikon F4 in 1991 with an Auto-Focus 28mm-105mm lens. The F4 represented the Evolution of Nikon Cameras to that time. The F4 remains an awesome Film Camera to this day. Due to the present-day value of this fine camera, I did not have the heart to sell it on eBay. Instead, I will give it to my 7-year old grandson when he visits this coming Fourth of July. It is my hope that he develops the same passion for the Art of Photography as I have experienced over the years. Two years ago my wife and I gave Chris a Collegiant Microscope. Since that event, he places his observations and findins into a Journal. The Nikon F4 can expand his curiosity... It also provides me the opportunity to show him the joys of photography and convey to him the respect that the excellent Nikon camera equipment deserves. At the same time, I can continue to expand my horizons with the incredibly advanced Nikon D300...

Nikon d300--- I am a rank amatuer---this is the finest camera around for the price. Suitable for pros and a blessing for the rest of us. Buy one and be happy for life.

I had been planning to buy a second DSLR body when the D300 came out late last year. At the time I was using a Nikon D200 and was very happy with the quality and versatility of that camera. I decided to put off my purchase and see how the new D300 was received by both amateur and professional photographers. After reading many reviews I decided to go for the D300 and I couldn't be happier.
I shoot in a wide variety of situations, from indoor and outdoor sporting events, wildlife photography,fine art images, to portraits and advertising. So the ability to shoot fast and under varied lighting conditions was of considerable importance to me. I was happy with the abilities of the D200 when paired up with fast lenses. But fast lenses tend to be expensive lenses and although I do have a couple of great fast lenses, I primarily use a 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens just for its versatility. With the High ISO/Low Noise capability of the New D300, I gain about 2 stops over the D200. What that ultimately means is I can shoot without a flash in more situations and maximize the flashes capability when I do use it.
Another feature of the D300 is Active D-Lighting. This feature allows you to preserve the details in high contrast images such as those with a bright sky and a darker foreground by expanding the dynamic rang of the image.This saves you from spending lots of extra time making adjustments to each image later in post processing at home.
I have now shot about 10,000 images with the D300 and I find the build quality to be solid as a rock. The camera is a bit on the heavy side, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. The large LCD display is much brighter an easier to see than that of the D200 and the addition of 'Live View", the ability to see through the lens on the LCD screen, makes composition and focusing in awkward positions much easier.
Overall, although the D200 and D300 share many great features and look very similar, the D300 is a much more serious Pro-sumer camera which is very well suited for the rigors and wide ranging needs of both the Amateur and Professional Photographer.

Outstanding camera. I've owned several SLR/DSLR Nikons over 40 years and this is by far the best. It has great balance and control, even with my relatively heavy 18-200mm Nikkor VR lens. I've shot over 300 pictures with it in the first week under different shooting and lighting conditions and the results were amazing! The metering system is right-on and I'm still using the battery with it's initial charge. I highly recommend this camera.

Oh yes, the D300. I upgraded from my D200 (which sold the next day), and I could hardly ever consider going back! The D300 surpasses the D200 in so many ways. Although, the price is very expensive, the camera is very much worth it. If you don't need the FX sensor and the other features of the D3, then this is DEFINITELY the way to go!

This is my first digital SLR. I found it very very suitable for my hands. Very good shots, especially with picture control set to Neutral - very live colors. If you prefer somewhat more saturated than real (like in Canon), you can use Vivid or Standard. Good autofocus. Increadible back screen. Topmost ergonomics.
The only thing I would like to add is a second spare programmable button.
This is definitely a camera for those who love photographing.

Have had this camera for 4 months now and have taken over 11,000 photos so far, and counting. As many other people have already mentioned it is a great camera and well worth the 5 star average rating.[...]. 3200 ISO allows even dimly lit photos to be useful. A beautiful 3 inch LCD that will be much sharper than your computer, which can be acutually a drawback because some photos look great on the LCD but less sharp on my computer when downloaded. But I'm also learning better technique, so I can't blame the camera too much for that. The other drawbacks include I'm taking so many photos with this great camera that I'm quickly running out of memory on the 4 GB Compact Flash card and have to buy multiple cards now. I've also had to buy multiple external hard drives to backup and store all my photos. I can get about 321 photos on the Large & Fine Jpeg settings. The battery life is also amazing. I can easily get close to 1000 photos and constant LCD reviews of my photos on just a single charge. It's always nice to have a backup battery but I've never had to change it in the field yet. I use this camera with my Nikon 18-200mm, Sigma 10-20mm, and Nikon 50mm f/1.8. The only regrets......I didn't get this camera earlier, I missed the opening ship date by about 2 weeks :-) Hope this helps. You deserve a reward, go buy it from Amazon.com where I did.

I recently purchased the Nikon D300 as my first digital camera. It may seem like I was jumping in feet first by purchasing such a complicated camera, but with over 30 years of photo experience under my belt it really wasn't all that difficult.

I am quite satisfied with my D300, especially with its 51 point focus zone that allows me to pinpoint exactly where I want the focus. I initially had some problems with exposure, but as it turned out I was the one making the errors, not the camera, so that is now water under the bridge.

So far my only serious gripe about the D300 is the arrangement of its controls. While I fully realize that this is a very complex camera, and there is only so much room on the body for control buttons, some of them are very badly placed. I have missed several photo opportunities because I didn't have my finger on the shutter button, but on either the on/off switch, or the exposure control button, which are placed right next to it. A lot of times my photography requires literal snap shots, with little or no time to pause and gaze at the camera to make sure I have my fingers in exactly the right place. It's point, shoot, or lose the photo. Fixing this problem doesn't even require moving any of the buttons; Nikon should have made the shutter button more prominent, or different in a tactile sense so that the moment you touch it, you know you are in the right place, and that's actually what I've gone and done. I found some small self adhesive vinyl plastic nubbins and stuck one of them atop the shutter button, making it much more obvious, and I haven't lost a shot since, but considering the price of this camera I shouldn't have to be doing stuff like this.

I've had the camera for about a month now. After going through several point and shoot cameras (e.g., Canon G1 and Nikon 8800), I decided to jump into the D-SLR market. I don't believe I had a preference for Canon vs. Nikon vs. Olympus, etc. The reason why I picked the Nikon D300 is because it felt great in my hand plus the functionality is somewhat similar to my Nikon 8800...also the reviews on the D300 are stellar.
I have not been disappointed so far. This camera is solid all around.

After taking some digital photography classes at the local reseller, I've taken this camera on nature hikes (for nice landscape shots) and fast action shots (college sporting events like tennis). In both situations, the D300 along with the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens that I used on both occasions produced excellent shots. The multi battery pack (MB- D10) gave me the adequate fps to shoot fast moving college tennis players with no problem. The photos are crisp and clear. I've also taken indoor shots of my dogs and used the same lens and camera along with the SB-800 and the shots were also crips and clean.

Again, I would highly recommend this camera for those who want to step up from a point and shoot or from an entry level D-SLR. The reason why I jumped straight into tha "semi-pro" D-SLR like the D300 is because friends of mine who purchased an entry level D-SLR often wished they had ponied up more money and bought a D-SLR with more features (actually lack of fast fps was often cited as a complaint).

I sold my D70 and bought the D300 from Amazon. What a difference ! About 600 pictures in 2 weeks and only 2 deleted (clearly my mistakes). I am not a pro but a very serious hobbyist . My fist Nikon was a F2 and I have a big collection of Nikkor lenses. My favorite is now the 70-200 2.8 VR but I get great results with an old "standard' 50 mm 1.8 .

The D-Lighting feature works like a charm and I love the big , high resolution monitor.

I can't see any difference between Iso 200 and 800 and even at 1600 the pictures look perfect to me. With the D70, I couldn't get good results over 400.

I just hope the cleaning mechanism really works. With the D70 I had a lot of specs and dirt on the sensor .

The D300 is a must have you are into photography in a serious way.
Highly recommended.

I have been a Canon user for over 15 years, I have shot on many cameras including Nikon, Olympus and Sony, but still I believed that the Canons (specifically the 5D and the 1D MkII) are/were the pinnacle of camera design and image quality that I have used.
Needless to say that opinion has now changed, for how long I can't be sure, but believe me when I say that it is tough not to give the camera five stars.
Superb build, ergonomics, image quality and the sheer amount of features put many other cameras to shame. There are a few features I would like to pull out for special attention that really sealed the deal; 3D Matrix Metering II and automatic in camera CA elimination (not just reduction, but elimination). Now I love my 17-55mm f2.8, but when it comes to CA it leaves a lot to be desired... Until now. JPEG's are simply amazing with the CA elimination, not to mention the active D-lighting (if you wish to have the benefits of these features for NEF files you HAVE to use Nikon's Capture NX, but more on that later).
The Matrix Metering used in this camera is the best I've used bar none, it is extremely accurate and it really will make you a better photographer (or some say a lazier photographer, lol).
I don't have to say much about the image quality of the D300, there are plenty of examples floating around the net, suffice to say it is very, very good.

Now, I do have a negative. Capture NX. It is a resource hog, also in my subjective opinion it can be an unintuitive nightmare. That doesn't mean that the images that it produces aren't any good, in fact they're great, if you want the most out of the camera (CA elimination and Auto D-Lighting) you will need capture NX. I also use Lightroom, Apple Aperture and Adobe RAW, oh how I wish that I could tap the CA and D-Lighting in those programs - it would mean that I could avoid Capture NX completely. But I can't.

Now there are some around here who would toss irrelevant comments at me for such a knock (Capture NX is free! or some such nonsense), but the reality is that many don't own an application such as Aperture or Lightroom, they really need this software to get the most from their camera purchase, which is not an insignificant dollar amount. I thank Nikon for finally realizing that Capture should come bundled with it's camera, but there is still some work to be done regarding it's performance in terms of speed of use and it's huge resource requirements. As a serious photographer I can't bear the thought of the horrendous time wasted waiting for changes to occur to my image in NX, but when some of the cameras best features will only be achieved through NX, it seems I don't have a choice.

I was tempted to drop the rating to four stars because of the software, considering I can't do four point five stars; but A)It's harsh on the camera, and B)Giving the camera four stars is like bait to the Nikon fanboys, if you don't believe me look at some of the flaming in those four star reviews. They would probably just add a dose of unnecessary idiocy to a simple question; Is it a worthy purchase? Yes, yes it most certainly is.

I own a D200 and a D300. I do a lot of Macro work outside while hiking. The D300 focuses much more reliably for this. I also like the that there is more dynamic range.
There are still things I like better about the D200 which is one of two reasons I deducted a star from a 5 star camera. One of the things I liked about the D200 was the multi-focus point area focus. The D300 can simulate this, but but exactly.
The other deduction is that Amazon did a lousy job of packing the camera. The camera box was tossed into a large box with just a few air filled packing bubbles. It could bounce around in the big box. Luckily it is packed well from Nikon and has no issues.

The D300 has very awkward controls and their menus are a pain to figure out. Why did Nikon ever go with a non-standard dial on top of the camera. I can never turn it as easily as the normal dial. Their button and dial approach to changing between P, M, A is just awkward. I do not want to look at the LCD just to change my mode. Their hand grip is also off. I have no place to put my thumb. The grip on the Canon 40D is much better, a nice solid grip and feel.

The Canon 40D also seems much easier to use. The 40D has a normal dial on top, all the menus are 1 deep and you never need to scroll down some menu. Very nice and quick to use. All the buttons are easy to memorize. I rarely have to take my eye away from the viewfinder. Plus I save $700 for basically the same image quality and dynamic range.

The 40D even has a lower noise rating between ISO 100-400. Which is important to me. But it was surprising to learn that since the Nikon cost $700 more and the Nikon has lower noise ratings above that ISO range. I guess they had to skimp on the lower ISO's to reach 6400. This is according to popphoto.

I also found out Nikon has the worst reliability among DSLR cameras, according to consumer reports. Almost twice the problems compared to top rated Canon. Thats all I need, spend $1800 today for a Ford (Nikon) that may have problems a few years from now. Looks like quality has suffered in their desperate attempt to beat out Canon.

RELIABILITY RATINGS FOR DSLR BRANDS: The smaller the number, the fewer the problems. This data includes 2007 cameras. Pulled from consumer reports. The numbers are correct. Useful information.

4...Canon
4...Olympus
5...Fujifilm
7...Nikon

Note: For those interested, the reliability ratings for point and shoot digital camera's were closer. But I am a little more worried about cameras over $500.

5..Canon
5..Sony
5..Olympus
5..Kodak
6..Fujifilm
6..Casio
6..Nikon
7..Pentax

(Data are based on over 221,000 responses about digital cameras to our Annual Product Reliability Survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Data have been adjusted to eliminate differences solely linked to age and usage. )

Needless to say I ended up purchasing the Canon 40D. It was not even a contest. I love its look and feel. When I compare it to the Nikon and the Sony's, it just feels better built and looks like a Pro camera. I'm loving it. Just in time for spring/summer travels.

Dont let the positive reviews fool you. Look at both and feel them both in your hands.

I started Nikon digital cameras with the Coolpix E5700, 5200, D70, D80 and D40. Enjoyed the technology improvement. Until I got my new D300, I was shocked by it's new EXPEED image processing engine. The color rendition is so dramatic and extraordinary. The very low noise high ISO and 51-point AF system made this machine a must to own. The controls are so easy to use and quick to make any adjustment you want. They are all at your fingertip. The rigid body and handfeel make me want to shoot all the time. I enjoy every minute of having it even I am not a professional photographer. Only thing I regret is that I should have bought it earlier.
I am still learning all the customizations I can set for different shooting situations.
If you are in the market for one, do not hesitate, this is the one you want.

nikon needs to come out with a dvd on there nx like photoshop has had this d300 sent dec only shoot with it when my wife has the fu s5 way have a great camera if you don,t have the software let me know at dc296@msn thankyou

I previously owned the D80, and could never get the sharpness that I was looking for in my pictures, they all looked soft? I bought almost every lens that Nikon makes, and could never get that razor sharpness that I desired, until I bought the Nikon D300. Wow, the Nikon D300 is INCREDIBLE! The problems I had with sharpness, were related to the SENSOR I believe, and it makes sense! Yes, the D80 takes "good" pictures, but the D300 takes INCREDIBLE pictures. The D80 has a CCD sensor, and the D300 has a CMOS sensor, is this the difference? I don't know, but my D300 takes razor sharp images! Wow. I sold my D80, and I've never been happier with the D300!

Having been used to using the more advanced settings of my D70 the first day I purchased the D300 I had to do a photo shoot of a Salsa class and took the worst photos of my life. Day two I read the manual and spent much time getting used to the D300 and customising the settings. My photos since then have been stella.

Best bits compared with the D70:- Better colour, lower noise, better screen, better dynamic range.

The worst part of the camera is the sensor cleaning which is not really up to the task - poor at best.

Fantastic camera but you need to learn how to use it otherwise your photos will be dire. All the main things that you need to change are on the outside of the camera.

In low indoor light I fould that the hand held pictures were a little dark and had too much image noise(ISO 3200 using aperture priority setting). One tip is to up exposure compensation by +0.7 or more which gives very quiet pictures which you can then post process to -7.0 if you wanted.

The dynamic range of the camera coupled with the real time "Adaptive D-Lighting" means that I don't have to use my gradual grey filters so often.

For me the 12MP is not such an advantage as I never crop or print poster sized pictures. My Brother used a 6MP camera (D50) and actually produced poster sized photos for his company which they were very pleased with and paid him alot of money for. One of my customers was paid £3000 when he snapped 80 photos of a balloon going over his house with a D40. He approched the advertising company, his solicitor negotiated the deal - wow.

For the avaerage photo taker I would recommend the Nikon D40 which is an absolute bargain price and takes fantastic pictures. If you need fast shutter cycle times, complete and instant control of your photos and a rugged camera than this is one to consider. Highly recommended for the right user.

If you are considering this camera and have the disposable income, don't hesitate. This camera has exceeded my admittedly high expectations. Low light shots are amazing, colors are very nice, and it is a dream to shoot with. My only complaint is that the camera tends to over saturate my shots a bit with the default settings, but that can easily be changed.

Nice job Nikon!

I moved from a Nikon D70S to the D300 as my primary DSLR.

The D300 has marvelous control placement - of course there are still myriads of menus that one may make choices from, but the controls one most often needs are at fingertip access.

Learning curve on all of the possibilities of this machine are formidable; it's obviously not designed to be used in automatic or "scene" modes - there are no "scene" modes to be had. (Although with custom menus one could create such if desired). It is possible to charge the battery, attach a lens, and shoot right out of the box; however the real power in this machine lies in knowing all of the controls available and applying those controls to achieve the desired results.

The physical feel of the machine is one of solidness; I've added the external battery grip (which allows the entire machine to function off of 8 AA batteries, as well as Nikon camera batteries) and the balance, for my hands, is as good as I've ever had in a camera. (The external grip also bumps the frames per second from 6 to 8 when using AA's or some Nikon camera batteries.).

I've not weighed the machine with an 18-200 VR lens and external grip w/batteries, but it's a heavyweight and I would recommend a different strap than the Nikon supplied strap that comes with the camera body.

There is no "stealth mode" on this machine as there is on my Canon G-9 P&S; the shutter is loud, and putting it into rapid fire mode at 8 fps will get the attention of those around you.

The camera will be happiest with high speed compact flash cards - Extreme IV's, Ducati's, or other cards of that ilk. Slow cards, especially if one is capturing NEF+jpg fine images will slow the write buffer down. Plan on getting 4 gig or 8 gig cards - they fill up rather quickly.

I will let others comment on the images this camera can record - I've not had enough field experience yet to give an intelligent opinion. However, I will say that the camera (again) is not designed for shooting on automatic, out of the box. This machine requires input from the operator to function well. Also this machine requires good lenses to maximize it's potential; the 18-200 VR Nikkor that works so well on my D70S seems softer on the D300.

Heavily recommended for:

Those who have Nikon cameras and have maxxed out the possibilities with those machines and are looking for greater challenges. The D300 will support Nikkor lenses made since 1959 (although the ones made before 1977 may need a minor, inexpensive modification to fit on the D300). Not all older lenses, of course, support auto-focus.

Those who have other camera brands but who have not yet invested large sums in glass or accessories.

Those who wish to become involved in photography at a serious level; this machine requires investment of both time and money.

Not recommended for:

Well heeled users who are looking for an expensive point-and-shoot or all-automatic machine.

I am massively pleased with the D300 (good thing, considering the cost of one of the machines for a non-pro photographer!).

My only real gripe is the cost of the machine - and the "hidden" costs associated, such as faster CF cards, better lenses, upgrading camera bags (this is a large beast and what my D70S fits into comfortably won't hold the D300 with grip and lens attached).

However, at the level that the D300 plays in it is comparable in price with it's counterparts and (currently) it's feature set is well above the competition. Of course, that latter part will change - no one camera model stays on top for very long.

HTH

d300 is a state of the art camera and amazon delivered in two days at the best price ,100%recomendable

The best. Hands down.

But bear in mind: It is heavy, especially compared with the D40. And the infrared remote doesn't work with it.

Those are the only two negatives I can think of. Unbelievably good camera!

I am a previous D200 and D70 owner. Maybe it is that the controls are very similar but for whatever reason I am getting really stunning results with the D300. It seems to have much better ability to evaluate the lighting conditions and come up with really nice tonality and color. I am still working on the new focusing issues, but even without fully understanding it the results seem really good. Worth the upgrade.

I am a technology geek. An early adopter. I also work in the outdoors, shooting wildlife photographs. I used to use film cameras, and unfortunately was spending far more money in developing costs than groceries! So I made the early move to digital with a little point n' shoot Olympus. Many times I was so frustrated that the camera was almost thrown overboard. Then came the Nikon D70, a digital SLR. I was hooked. I loved being able to shoot 6 MP shots, 3 frames a second. Being able to preview pics and throw away what I didn't want. But soon my D70 was looking long in the tooth so to speak, so I began researching and prowling around for a new camera. My boss also used to shoot a D70, and had just made the jump over to a Canon D40 as the lenses were cheaper. Me, I'm a pretty loyal guy, so I gave the D300 a hard look.

I looked at many websites and forums that compared the top DSLRs. And I kept coming back to the D300. Even Macworld gave it their recommendation, so I went online and bought a package that included a D300, a 70-300 VR lens, a 2GB card and shipping for 1999.99. The camera arrived, and here are a few observations after only a few days use:
1. This is a heavy camera. Very solid. Heavier than my D70, but the weight is balanced feeling.
2. SPEED!!! Wow! I am using a Lexar 2GB 300x card, and when I hit burst rate the other day, I shot nearly 13 frames in about 2-3 seconds.
3. LCD display is incredible! At 3" in size, it really enables you to get a good feel for how the camera is operating. Live View is a new feature for when you are using a tripod or having to hold the camera at strange angles---it seems to really work well.
4. In camera processing---some features that I used to wait to process in Photoshop I can do in the camera now (red-eye reduction, etc.) Very helpful.

Now for the things I don't like (which is a very short list at this point):
1. Getting CF cards that really take advantage of the camera's lightning speed are expensive!
2. Lenses for this camera are expensive!
3. Owner's manual leaves something to be desired in explaining how to use the camera.

I am an intermediate user, and so I feel a bit lost trying to figure out all the options of this camera and how to best utilize them. But fortunately for you and me, there are lots of books, websites, etc, to help you take this Ferrari and use it to its' fullest extent! If I had to choose a camera again, I would DEFINITELY buy the Nikon D300 again.

Just got my D300, and it is truly a wonderful camera. With a tweaking of the settings (ie vivid) my photos are looking HOT! Better than reality! BUT, this morning I came outside and was shooting some purple flowers, that ended up looking blue onscreen. I played around with the WB and reset the picture settings to normal and even nuetral, even set the auto white balance to a slightly different setting - in other words LOTS of tweaking...- and eventually more of the purple came out than blue. But, still not as satisfactory as I'd like. So watch out for the colour purple. This camera reads it as blue! Any suggestions, please email me at ideasfromtravel@googlemail.com

I purchased the Nikon D300 body from Amazon because I already had lenses and a flash unit from previous Nikon film cameras and a D70s. When I received the camera I mounted a 18-200 Nikon VR lens on it and took some test shots for about two weeks and I was very satisfied with the results. Then I took a trip down to Washington DC to take some pictures and the camera stopped working. I called Nikon and I really thought they would FedEx a camera body to my hotel being I was about 500 miles from home and the camera was so new but they refused to help me at all telling me I will have to bring the camera into the service center when I get back home. In other words after spending $1799 on the camera body and owning thousands of dollars worth of Nikon equipment over the past twenty five years, Nikon's answer was oh well when you get back home we will fix it (forget about the reason for the DC trip - PICTURES). When I returned home I brought the body into Nikon's service center and spoke to a supervisor that said he would get back to about the problem I had with the camera. I did receive the repaired camera back but I never received a call back, so I got in touch with the vice president of Nikon who said he would look into the matter and I could rest assured he would get back to me to compensate me some how for the problems with the camera. It has now been four weeks and numerous phone calls back to the vice president with no response. Bravo Nikon ! After twenty five years and thousands of dollars spent on being a loyal Nikon customer, my next camera will be a Canon. Thank you Nikon customer support !

Previous to purchasing the D300, I was using the Canon 400d with several prime lenses. All I say is after switching to the D300, it is like the fog has lifted and I can finally see.

The colors and sharpness is just remarkable!

This is a fantastic camera. I upgraded from a D80, which I was happy with, but this camera is in a completely different class. Handling is excellent, build quality superb and colours are fantastic. The Active D-Lighting is a great feature, and the high ISO performance is unbelievable.

I upgraded from the D70 ad it was well worth the money. One great feature is that in Auto mode you can enable and disable the flash. So if you want to not use it, you don't have to keep flppig it down. The quality and clarity of pics are unreal.

Received a D300 from Amazon today. It is a grey market camera clearly labeled for the Australian market. No USA warranty material was included, indeed, no warranty material was included in the package at all.

So far so good it takes wonderfully clear brilliant pictures, Operationally I am learning the camera its a wonder. LM

As a professional wedding photographer in today's marketplace it is difficult to keep pace with technological improvements and remain profitable. Not many of us can afford to replace a $5,000- $8,000 camera annually.

I have used Nikon Cameras since the NIKON F was introduced. We use multiple photographers in my wedding business and I have never been happy with our photo sharpness and quality since we migrated from the medium format Hasselblad film cameras to the Nikon D100, D70, D200; Fuji S2, S3; and Canon 20D, 30D, XT, XTi cameras. With the advent of the D300 we see a major improvement in linearity of the image quality at both ends of the characteristic curve, there is much better control of the shoulder (highlights), and we see more detail more faithful color reproduction and much less noise in the toe, (dark areas) and picture to picture variation minimization. It has been difficult to get matching exposures when taking multiple flash photos of the same subject taken seconds apart. Finally, we have a camera that reliably an repeatedly reproduces the subject we are photographing brides, grooms or the Gymnast portraits we shoot!
Our on photo-journalistic bridal photographs are much more controlled, with improved control of the detail in the whites of the gown. The Fuji S3, and the Nikon D200 showed improvement in this area, but the D300 is a big step up from it's look-a-like the D200.

Focus is another area that Nikon has improved tremendously with the adoption of 51 focus points. This was my chief reason for changing back to NIKONs from the my Canon Cameras. I purchased Canon's best quality lenses, yet I still had to take additional photos with my Canon cameras to assure that my focus was where I want it. Formal Groups in churches can be difficult, as the camera wants to focus on the background instead of the group. One other interesting note, is that we get many more closed eyes with the Canon 580 strobes than we do with the Nikon SB800. I wonder if the infrared frequency of the Canon autofocus system is more visible to some people than is the Nikon infrared system. I do know that we get less closed eye shots with the Nikon than we do with the Canons which my assistants use.

Prevention of over exposure of mens faces, causing a Pillsbury dough boy look due to camera metering subject failure when using available light or flash wedding to take pre-wedding portraits is another area that Nikon has trumped Canon with the D3 and D300 metering improvements.

The Nikon D300 is a great wedding camera which has improved my available light ceremony photography, at ISO 3200.... with minimal sensor noise.

I love using this camera, and highly recommend the D300.

If you buy this camera, be prepared to fork out a lot of money (after buying the body). You're going to go broke.

This camera will inspire you like you've never dreamed of. You'll throw caution to the wind and buy top of the line lenses and filters. My polarizing filter alone was $185. I only put the best filters on this camera.

I love this DSLR so much that I bought more lenses, a SB800 and a SB600 flash unit. Then I bought a wireless remote (absolutely fantastic). Don't forget to buy a few SanDisk Extreme IV 8GB memory cards with the Extreme IV reader; it's worth it! After I learn this camera, I might buy the battery pack.

I bought a D90 within the past year but so many of my pictures were blurry or didn't come out right and when I increased the ISO speed I got way too much noise. Now when the light is low or I need a faster speed I don't hesitate to crank up the ISO to 1600 or even faster. (btw: CaptureNX does a much better job of reducing noise than Photoshop CS2.) The year before I bought a Canon XTi with a $1200 lens but the viewfinder was so dark that I couldn't manually focus so I bought the D90.

Nearly every photograph out of the D300 are absolutely perfect. Many of the photos require zero photoshopping.

I've been doing photography for over 30 years (non-professionally but I went to art school full time and majored in photography for 3 years). I started off with 4x5, 5x7 cameras and a Nikon FTN. Aside from the 5x7 camera, this is the best camera I had in my whole life.

This camera is heavier than the D90 and I couldn't imagine hauling around a D3. The rubber grips are very comfortable and I thought the D90 was fairly decent.

On the downside, Nikon manuals really suck and the menus are a beast to learn. For auto-ISO, what were they thinking by setting the max shutter speed to 1/250th of a second? Why not go for the full range? With a telephoto and fast action I want at least 1/2000th of a second.

CaptureNX (included for free) but it has a number of issues that I won't go into detail here but it does have some great features. You will need an ultra-fast computer with a lot of memory. It's a major CPU and memory hog. I bumped up my RAM to 4GB and even with a new fast Intel dual-core, the CPU is typically pegged out.

I found one store that had the camera in stock and on my birthday I went out and bought it full price. I don't regret it.

A word of caution: If you're going on a vacation or going shoot something important, buy the camera at least a month or earlier and learn the options to maximize the desired results. There are tons of tweaking you can do. Or just use 'P' mode and treat it like a point-and-shoot.

I'm not familiar with the other high-end ($1700 range) cameras but I gotta tell you, this camera is absolutely spectacular which is why some stores are almost always out of stock and they put you on a waiting list; and this camera has been out for quite a few months.

Truth be told, the D300 is an incremental improvement over the D200. In contrast, the D200 was an evolutionary leap over the D100. For some reason, I tend to confuse the exposure comp button with the shutter release; this was never the case with the D200.

This past weekend was my first opportunity to use my new Nikon D300. I have had other digital cameras but never a DSLR -- only the "point and shoot" variety of cameras. So far I love this Nikon D300; it is a super camera! I took it to a family gathering and took some shots both indoors and out. I was shooting in "P" mode and occasionally beginning to "tweak" some settings. What I am excited about is that I can take good pictures right out of the box with this camera. Also I know as I learn more about photography that I can "grow" with this camera. The shots from this weekend had good color and were very clear. I am very happy with this purchase! Also I would recommend buying the Introduction to the Nikon D300. This DVD is sold by Amazon.com and is a very helpful tool in learning how to use the D300.

i've had a d300 for a while now; comparing it to my can 5d for what i want it for,(sharpness, color, natural hues, and more depth of field; the NIKON D300 IS FAR AHEAD OF ALL I HAVE TRIED PEROID........

The "False Dead Battery" problem has received a lot of attention in various forums, but apparently nothing official from Nikon has been released. Basically, what happens is that while in the middle of shooting, the camera displays a low battery, and ceases to operate. Most people are able to clear the problem by either turning the camera off and back on, or buying a cleaner (deoxit) and carefully cleaning the lens and camera mount surface areas and contacts. Much speculation about what is happening ranges from poor ground contacts to a possible electrical problem in the electronics. The problem seems to happen most on the heavier, more expensive VR lenses, as they put more physical strain on the lens mount plus consume more power. Again, there is a lot of speculation as to what exactly is the problem.

I experienced this problem while shooting with an 18-200 VR. I had been using this combination for weeks without incident when all of a sudden it happened. Since then, it has happened on and off during casual shooting. I did inspect my lens mount and discovered what appeared to be some sort of filmy lubricant...similar to a white silicon grease I've seen used in products that have plastic gears. I cleaned the mount with a lint-free cloth, and so far, I've not seen the problem come back.

The other thing that I was not able to find in many of the forums was if this occurred as frequently with non-VR lenses. I did change to my 24-85 AF-S for a bit and didn't experience any problems with that. But that is not the most scientific experiment.

The reason I am giving this a one-star rating is to simply draw attention to the fact that there ARE users who are having issues. Some folks have commented that when disucussing this with Nikon, they either get a "we've not seen this problem before" or "send your camera, lens, charger, any battery in so they can be analyzed" responses. I am sure that that doesn't set well with most people. Some have indicated that this only affects a very small percentage of cameras - well, if Nikon is truly producing these at 66,000 per month, I'd say that even several hundred of the course of months looks like a statistical nit. Also, those who have sent in their equipment report that the problem is still there when they get it back.

This is the only problem or complaint I have about the D300. Otherwise, it is a remarkable product. The results are stunning. I have confidence that Nikon will do the right thing and address this, but not as quickly as everyone would like. But for now, I think it only fair to let everyone know that you could experience this problem. Virtually, there's no middle ground on this one...either you won't see the problem and you'll think this is the best camera on the planet, or you'll be very frustrated at spending a lot of money because you were the statistical nit.

Do I still recommend the camera - yes, I do. But I can't say I'm 100% happy or confident as I once was. For now, I'm waiting to see if the problem returns as cleaning is not a big deal, but if it's something else, I will have to give up the equipment before the warranty ends.

I'm a neophyte photographer that has been shooting DLSR for a year now. To be fair, I'm more of a technocrat than an artist; that is, I know the bells and whistles of this camera, and the D40 and D80 that I own. It's truly easier to be a technocrat than an artist.

I would strongly against recommending this camera as the first DSLR for anyone. The exception being experienced film shooters. My reason being the power of this camera can only be appreciated by those that need the features that comes with this puppy. If you're a pro, you can stop reading now. If you're considering upgrading to this from another DSLR or is a point and shoot person with interest for photography, read on...

Where to I begin? POW! 6 fps, way better metering than my D80, solid and stable in the hands, ADR with smooth contrast, Nikon finger ergonomics on the grip and buttons, 900K pixel 3" LCD (with impact resistence), 1000+ shots on a single charge (EN-EL3e), shoot at ISO1600+ (with optional high ISO noise reduction) and the magic EXPEED processor that renders gorgeous images. It's much easier to get better pictures with D300.

I've since added the MB-D10 battery grip to up the shooting to 8fps, and yes the Nikon grip is solid and connects perfectly to the D300 body. It shoots THAT much faster, but that's another story (and another review).

For $1700 street price, forget everything else if you know you need something like this and go for it.

Downside? Weight. Moving to this body from a backup or lower end DSLR, you'll need to deal with the extra weight and probably want to invest in a better strap. Add on a battery grip and a pro level lens, and we're talking about lugging a backup or good size camera bag around. It ain't all that sexy when you're hiking multiple miles with easily 4-5lbs with basic body and lens combo. On the note of downside with weight, if you don't give a damn about weight and got the money, want to shoot in low light/high ISO, and shoot a lot of sports, go for the D3 and be done with it already.

The D300 is spectacular. It's truly a solid and gorgeous product with great ergonomics for photographers, cutting-edge/pack leading features, great picture rendering, and Nikon's reliability in construction. Go out and buy one!

This is an amazing camera! To me, it was well worth the upgrade from my D80. I use it with Nikkor 18-200VR and 50mm f/1.4. Tokina 100mm macro and 12-24 f/4, and Tamron 200-500 zoom. It makes every single one of those lens' images look better than they did on my D80. CA, which I was constantly fixing in pictures taken in bright light with the 18-200, is a thing of the past. Highlights are just there - I love the active D-Lighting feature. The saturation capability is so high that I'm not using the highest setting - something that I just turned on by default in my D40 and D80. It's not perfect - my opinion says that the menu system needs a lot of reorganization for usability. But it's still five stars, no question.

For an old timer in photograophy(amateur)this machine is awsome and I am studying from David Busch's book on the D300 in Digital Photography. I have much to learn.

I'm a long time Nikon user. But I preferred to save some big money and picked up a Sony Alpha 700 - which uses the same image sensor, made by Sony - for $800 on closeout at Best Buy. (Sorry, no more left.)
If you are a pro and have Nikon lenses, this is a no brainer. Get this camera.
If you are starting off, the Alpha 700 is the same sensor for much less money (even not on sale) and virtually the same image quality (no worse or better as Sony and Nikon take slightly different approaches to sensor adjustments).
But wait! By the end of 2008, Sony will have a bunch of new DSLR cameras, as will probably Nikon.

I've used D200 extensively and thought it would be the best digital SLR for years to come. However, Nikon surprised me with D300 and it actually makes it easier to create significantly better images.

The D300 has better color, highlights, shadows; it's sharper because it fixes lens flaws, and its superior AF system. Except for the full frame sensor the D300 shares a lot of good things from D3 and comes at a much cheaper price. The D300's tweaks and far more processing power have made it possible to realize superior image quality. These improvements are readily seen in the images you shoot. The D300 has an amazing automatic ability to fix color fringes. This gives better and sharper results. No need to activate this, it just works. On a full battery, I get about 800-900 shots and it is more or less three times you could get in a D200.

There are minor annoyances with D300; the continuous advance doesn't work with built-in flash. Entering lens data for manual lens can be annoying as you have to go through many menus to enter the data, but it's a one time process and it is not a huge bother. Some buttons from D200 have been removed or re-arranged so read the manual or "pocket quick guide" at least so that you know.

This is by far one of the best 35mm digital SLR cameras around. I am sure it is going to stay that way for long. As I don't see any further improvement is necessary. With Nikon's solid build, lots of nice features, fantastic performance, and finally all in a manageable price a five star rating could only do justice to this camera. Just take this camera to the field and use it.

Reading the other reviews you get the idea- a fantastic camera. I bought one for my wife and was so impressed I bought one for myself a week later. I teach advanced imaging (cameras and camcorders) and this is the most well thought out camera system I have used. I like Canon image quality but this is as good but with features that blow Canon away (at least until they catch up)....

This is simply the best camera for me. I had a used D2X before this and it was great in most ways, but heavy and no flash built in. For the professional, it would have been better but for an advanced hobbyist like me, this is head and shoulders better. And much lighter.

I own a Nikon D80 for 11 months and then went to a photo shoot with friends. One of them let us try his new D300. And the consequence? We said we will buy it soon and I took my D300 home 1 month ago.

Nikon D300 has such a beautiful LCD 3" monitor. I can't help staring at the bright images it displays. And to a not so young person like me, its viewfinder is a gift. I suddenly find myself seeing much more in photo composition. The buttons are all at the right place, especially the OK button where I can simply press the centre of the multi selector. True, the camera is bigger and heavier than D80. The first day I found this a bit uncomfortable. However, once I get used to it, D80 seems to be too light and too small!

As for photo quality, it is clearly more superior with noise reduction performing beautifully - especially when you shoot at ISO 1600. Its autofocusing system is much faster. I put the same old AF lens to D80 and D300 and the difference is apparent. D80 has already allowed me to take wonderful wildlife photos. And D300 excels at low light condition. Under daylight, it shoots photos bright (compared with the darker photos of D80) and the colour more natural (compared with the more vivid and deeper shades of D80). Sometimes I prefer to have darker photos so I activate the useful active D-lighting feature to adjust the contrast. As for the white balance, the available colours for adjustment is impressive. When pressing the shutter button to shoot, despite the camera's heavier weight, the handshake effect is actually reduced. Perhaps it is the mechansim or the centre of gravity that makes this happen. The continuous high speed shooting (6 fps) allows me to capture the egret take-off easily. Yes, I admit I have not used the live view extensively - the bright big viewfinder is simply alluring. Also, I haven't studied the manual word by word - I flip through a few pages only. But that's because most buttons are so user friendly, you can guess and shoot.

Not to mention the free Capture NX software accompanying the camera. I must admit I need only a handful of the many features of Capture NX eg adjusting the brightness of a tiny region of the photo, increasing the intensity and sharpness of the photo etc. It is at such a professional level that makes the picture perfect.

Some people emphasize again and again about sharpness of the image and focusing speed. However, I find the colours, contrast and exposure even more important in my consideration. Take a sunset photo and I see amazing colours of the dusk on the photo! Also, I won't need to worry whether my 20-year old Nikon lenses can be incompatibale with D300. They just fit and focus steadfastly and accurately on the object (albeit not as fast as the new Nikon AF-S lenses.) To top it all, the old manual lens can have autoexposure on D300 but not on D80. As for the flash, both D80 and D300 built in flash serves most of my purposes. D300 exposure program is so intelligent that sometimes the flash output is not as bright as I want, so I just use flash compensation.

With my D300, I can carry it everywhere and experiment with creative shots. But don't worry about my D80, I intend to keep it, especially when the trip is tough and long. After all, that is when I need to move fast and light! D300 is awarded the TIPA 2008 best expert camera - one it fully deserves. Plus, its price has gone down to an attractive level. It is a camera I don't want to go without!

The Nikon D300 is a great camera for enthusiasts and advanced amateurs. The D300 is fast to focus, has plenty of megapixels, advanced controls, and has a tacky-feeling grip which helps you hold the camera. This is my fifth Nikon.

Don't buy a D3 unless you are rich. Buy the D300.

OK, after reading all the online reviews and professional reviews and stewing over it for a few weeks I jumped on this one with the "kit" 18-200 VR lens. I am not a pro, although I have considered doing some pro work, but I take my photography seriously. My subject is mostly family/grandkids and local scenery. I am constantly experimenting with settings and never used the standard icon selections on the mode dial on my D50, so this camera seemed a natural upgrade to me.
First, I am absolutely enthralled. This is an absolutely fabulous equipment combination. There seem to be few settings, options, or configurations that I could have dreamed of that would have made me happier. Things I love:
The 18-200 VR lens; I have taken pics at 1/30 of a second at full 200mm zoom that I wouldn't have thought possible. It really does prevent most motion blur. Besides the actual camera this was the best part of my purchase. I rarely miss a shot for need of changing lenses, my former lenses being an 18-55 and a 55-200. With the flexibility of the camera itself and my second lens being a faster 30mm f1.4 this is pure photography fun for me. I know that some pros have dissed this lens as being less than pro, with distortion at certain extremes and some blur in the midrange 135mm. For the photography I do this is not important. When I do notice some distortion it's not important and I have not seen any blur, though I may not be looking close enough.
Auto-ISO: Still playing with this feature but the cool thing is that you can set it the minimum shutter speed you want and it will step up the ISO to keep that speed when needed. 1/30 seems a good speed with the VR lens, though there is sometimes subject motion blur (not camera motion blur), but this is also fun to play with. It can always be bumped up to 1/60 or more.
External controls: Most of the commonly-changed options are at your fingertips which means you don't need to visit the menus as often. I have a friend with a D40x and most of the options are in menus and my D50 has some on external buttons. The D300 seems to have a good balance. You very clearly could not have put all the menu items on external buttons on this camera!
Speaking of menus; I have a great fondness for the help feature available on this and on my D50. Not sure of other maker's cameras but if you don't know or don't remember a feature the help button will nudge you.
The customizable individual lens focus adjustment feature is the cat's meow. My aforementioned Sigma 30mm lens has never focused properly and I was able to quickly adjust this in-camera. Henceforth, all my pictures taken with the Sigma lens will at least be properly focused!
OK, one of my favorite features; the intervalometer. Ooooo, Ahhhh. It can be used by itself or with multi-exposure. By itself you can set it up to take pictures at whatever interval you like. This can be great fun. I set it up on a tripod at our reunion to take a picture every minute while we were playing cards, even catching my brother with Easter eggs over his eyes. This almost makes up for the lack of an infrared remote capability, though I guess they could not have included everything and to be fair, it is available with external added equipment. Multi-exposure is also pretty cool. More stuff to play with.

Some observations; if you have an event coming up get the camera early and play with it. I was still figuring out the settings when I went to a family reunion and took 1500 pictures. Many of those were multi-shots of the same subject so I dumped the extras and ended up with around 500 good pictures. I took some group pictures and some were blurry because I misunderstood a feature or two.
I take a lot of profile pictures and the only way to properly focus on these is to spot focus on the nose or eye. I would have liked a feature that recognizes a profile and focuses properly without changing settings. I guess that is asking a lot! Maybe in the next generation.
The weight of the device is off-putting for some, though not for me. I have big hands and the camera fills them nicely and the "balance," the way it feels in one's hands when it is turned different directions, feels just right to me, similar to the way a well-balanced 18v cordless drill feels. Though heavy, the weight is evenly distributed and it can be turned and manipulated without strain, at least not for me.
The battery life for me has been less than the 1000 pictures others have been getting. More like 500 or a little more. I'm not sure if this is because of the VR lens because I have not used my Sigma much yet. 500 is still a lot and I am not unhappy with this.
The only other "issue" if you can call it that is the front aperture dial; My finger sticks to the rubber around it which makes it more difficult to turn it. Just a nit-pic (pun intended) and something I will get used to.
Overall, I can truthfully say I love it. It doesn't get much better than this!
JCF

This is the perfect camera for an advanced amateur.

The main strengths are:
(1) the excellent ergonomics and design: the camera controls are perfectly laid out. This makes the camera feel very fast and responsive. Everything about the camera is designed to allow you to change settings quickly and effortlessly. An example: the auto-ISO feature changes completely how you shoot in quickly changing lighting. Think about shooting sports in a stadium where half the field is covered in shadow - with auto-ISO you can set your parameters and then forget about the camera and just worry about catching the action. It also features endless customization which is great when you have to live with your camera day and night - if something in the interface annoys you, just change it to what you like.
(2) 100% viewfinder: a pleasure to use. Framing is perfect and the size of the image seems huge. No, it's not like an F6 or D3, but it is the best cropped-sensor viewfinder to date. You can buy a magnifying eyepiece that gives you a bigger view at the expense of eye relief.
(3) picture controls: allow you to dial in settings in-camera and create great looking JPGs without any post-processing.
(4) built-in GPS support is wonderful: I am able to geotag all my photos on trips and display them on Google Maps when I get home. This is also an essential tool for surveying or scientific work.
(5) live view: perfect for macro and landscape work. It is designed to be used on a tripod for slow and methodical pictures, not for over-the-head grab shots on NFL sidelines.
(6) The camera can use pretty much all Nikon glass made since 1959. I take great pleasure in using a 40 year old Nikkor 28/3.5 to shoot infrared on the D300.
(7) The CAM3500 is truly amazing - I have only begun to appreciate it. I recently used the 3D focusing to track tiny cave swallows against a cliff wall. I watched the focus point dance all around the viewfinder as it perfectly tracked the tiny birds. Wow!


The main weaknesses:
(1) NEF (RAW) image quality in Lightroom is very good, but to get the very best skin tones and overall quality you still must process in Capture NX, which is clunky.
(2) this is NOT a good camera for a beginner. You will quickly become frustrated with the complexity. The camera is like a manual transmission car - it leaves all the decisions up to you, so you can't rely on it to "think" for you. If you are new to photography you will be much better served by a more consumer-friendly Nikon or Canon body.

Bottom line: after a few weeks of getting the D300 dialed in to your liking, you will quickly forget about the camera completely and concentrate on your images, which is, after all, the whole point.

The D300 was quickly delivered. Everything was in the original packaging. This is an upgrade from my previous D70 which was a great camera as well. But the D300 image quality is amazing. Good features/quality for price.

I wanted to upgrade from my D-50 and seriously thought about a D-80 and then when the D-60 came out looked at that. This is more expensive than the D-50 (which I love - but is going to my daughter) or the D-80 or D-60, but what an awesome camera.

The metering system is fantastic. I use it to shoot a lot of sports, high school football games and Yankee games. Its fast, it takes beautiful shots even at night from the outfied.

It also takes every Nikon lens.

What more can you ask for. If upgrading from another Nikon this this is the camera to get.

Bill

This is an awesome camera, but beware of ordering it from Amazon. Like another reviewer, I received mine in an extra large box with just a couple of air bags thrown in like an afterthought. They did absolutely nothing to protect it. The camera bounced around inside the carton like dice in a cup. There isn't any obvious damage but I will be wondering if there are subtle issues that will crop up down the road. This is inexcusable. I'm a long time Amazon customer, but I'll think long and hard before ordering anything fragile or delicate from them again.

This review includes good alternatives to the D300 for prospective shoppers of mid and high-end DSLR cameras. I will begin with Nikon's D300 since after deliberation I bought one. In my opinion, the effusive accolades given to this camera were well earned. Since all new products get puffed up, I was skeptical until I used it. Moreover, there are lots of good cameras to choose from: Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax and Sony, not just the leading duo Nikon and Canon. I will address the higher price ranges that are appropriate when shopping for a D300 currently selling for about $1700 with daily fluctuations. I will bracket it with competing camera bodies selling for less as well as some selling for a lot more. Prices tend to jump quickly after the D300's selling price no doubt as Nikon clearly intended by positioning it where it has. Its competitive price helps make it a stand out when you consider its robust build and state of the art features. However, you do not have to spend this much money to make outstanding photographs. You are more important than the tool. But if you want to make the best photographs you can and enjoy doing it then the tool can make a difference in assisting you. Some tools are also easier to use and some are built to last longer - camera bodies are no exception - you see the difference in the price tag. What complicates our understanding of digital camera technology is about what more is done during and after the digital capture that was not possible or even possible to think about while using analog technology film cameras. The Nikon D300 does not just do more - it does - but it does more that you choose it to do in customizable features. It is no longer largely a question of glass determining everything we see that matters when the D300 camera body does things as basic as "correct" chromatic aberrations and inherent distortions of individual lenses. The more that is done in RAW, the better. This camera borrowing from the flagship Nikon D3 has really pushed the envelope. They are not just useless effects. Technical breakthroughs are never over but collectively they contribute to make today's D300 impressive. Of course, if you wait a few months or a year or possibly years, today's features will become available on most other models at much lower prices assuming our sinking dollar does not lose even more buying power.

There are still very good alternatives. For those wanting excellent quality results and much of what the D300 offers but for significantly less money: Canon offers the popular Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and Nikon now has attractive pricing for its popular D200, the fine camera that the D300 updated in late 2007 Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). It has also earned many loyal followers and has a very solid build.

But once in a long while something extraordinary is designed that stands out from a very distinguished and competitive field. I am not regularly gonzo over gear. I will simply address the current field with options for your consideration while your money is still in your pocket. Thinking about the history of photography does not involve ranking accomplishment by merely which tools, the means that were used. But we do each need to make our personal choice.

The performance and potential of the D300 camera make it stand out to me. I have less work to do in image editing and the quality of the capture is the best I have seen. There are lots of places to read in detail about all its features including those shared with Nikon's outstanding premium camera, the D3. The D300 is not cheap but is durable and Nikon has been generous for what it offers and for what you can deliver with it. That is its most compelling case, its quality, performance and value. I realize praising engineering is not exciting reading - despite that being Nikon's historical strength - but it is their breakthroughs that I value most in the D300. That includes an entire series of triumphs in interrelated areas including color, tonal nuance, metering for better exposures and more extensive creative controls where you actually get to apply your intelligence and talents. Automated everything is also available but if you are shooting like that particularly in JPEGs there are many other good cameras to consider buying that will do that well for far less money. The D300's precision is amazing. It is going to spoil me regarding expectations in small camera photography. Want a closer look? Composing or fine tuning sharpening while looking at stunning color in "Live View" modes (yes, there are two) on the camera back's brilliant 3" scratch resistant monitor is not bad either. The ultimate measure is the quality of results as well as the creative options you were given control. They could directly assist you with what you wanted to say, show, express. All cameras do that but I recommend this extraordinary camera because for some it might assist you in doing it better than with an alternative. That is a testable premise but with subjective criteria. Consider renting one if that is a reasonable option. Seeing really is believing in this case. Otherwise there are lots of other cameras to convince you that one will be right for you.

Test your options. For example, Canon offers an excellent body in the same price range, that can be a few hundred dollars more, it usually is not a large difference. The Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) offers full frame capture if we use 35mm film as "normal" coverage. By that I mean, in theory, it can use the same lenses you used in 35mm film photography. Just check to ensure your lenses do not have any vignetting problems, light fall off, in their new application. Canon has made many excellent lenses. That is a distinct advantage if you enjoy shooting with conventional 35mm film coverage,super wide angle lenses and do not wish to duplicate an expensive wide angle lens for digital capture when you had an excellent one already used with film. New lenses for this wider digital coverage are also available. Just be aware there are differences in coverage and it is not always obvious. The 5D's super chip is terrific but it does not have as robust a body or as modern electronics as the newer D300. There always seem to be trade-offs. Please refer to the many positive Amazon reviews in the link to see why the 5D has also won many followers since 2005. If you already do not have a large investment in lenses in one brand or another you can consider any brand options.

If you are already a Nikon user, note that the Nikon D300's chip like the vast majority of cameras has a narrower coverage. Thankfully all lenses are backwards compatible with few caveats. For me, I like the trade off in the lighter weight lenses it uses. They suit the format's size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. If the full coverage sensor is critical you would need to move up to the highly praised Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) which is three times the cost of a D300 (street price, with Nikon USA warranty). However, you can spend even more on the equally excellent top of the line Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) or the first rate Fuijifilm camera, Fujifilm IS Pro Body Only, 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera with Nikon F Lens Mount, with Pro Body Kit or the smallest mid-format camera, the Mamiya 645AFD III that is $10,000 (list).

A note for bargain hunters: avoid Gray Market goods and you know that those obviously too low to be true online stores are going to be trouble that you do not need. A sobering perspective is to remember the cost of 100 rolls of film plus E6 processing and mounting. Now compare that to the initial cost of the D300 from an authorized dealer from whom you will receive a Nikon USA Warranty. That sum covers the cost of the camera body! You are already ahead of the game when you begin shooting your new digital camera. Film does has distinct advantages and in image quality it is still relatively long lasting as well as better quality but less so thanks to advances like the Nikon D300.

Very easy to make the setting on P mode using the buttons and most of the setting can be made using the buttons.

A custom setting is very easy and can be made fine adjustment later.

Most of all, I like the fine adjustment of White Balance in the menu and can be taken illusion photo by using this adjustment.

Very low noise at higher ISO setting.
I took group of about 150 dance recital photo first time in the theatre yesterday.
I have to make quick move to take the photo because of prohibited photo taken, but result are very good using manual focus and ISO setting at 1600 without flash.

No need to use daytime flash by using D-Lighting system and can be set before taking the photo or make a adjustment after photo taken.
The result is much better quality than the using the Nikon software D-Lighting adjustments.

The only thing I like to have is a 35mm size sensor like D3 model.

The other future did not try yet but I give five stars for the picture quality and true colors.

During the first month until the Auto Focus stopped working, I was very impressed with this dslr and Nikkor lens.
Then suddenly the AF would not respond in the middle of outdoor shooting. I am waiting to hear what Nikon service center has to say. Searching a bit on the web I could read other D300 owners complaining about the same fault.
If other people write about this issue I can guess this is not a rare case of technical failure, but rather a sign of insufficient manufacturing and quality level -and this should not happen with a camera of this class. So overall I am disappointed with Nikon.

First of all I need to say that I don't own this camera. I own a Canon EOS 40D and I am very pleased with it. D300 is in most aspects at least as good as 40D and in many aspects better, enough to justify the price difference. I had the Nikon for a few days and took some shots. It has amazing ergonomics and image quality. The feature set is fantastic.

Highly recommended.

Everyone else has already covered the details, so I'll just add my voice to the chorus. Particularly, I am amazed at the photos shot at ISO3200 and the fact that you can get something truly usable at ISO6400.

Also, the feel of it in your hands is terrific.

Nikon D300 is very good camera, but it took 3 weeks to ship the item to my place, poor package.

Instant on, immediate take when you push the shutter button, focuses instantly on what you want depending on how you set the focus area, and takes better pictures than my Maxxum 7 did. I currently use only one lens, the 18 - 200; but plan on getting another soon with faster aperture for fine work. I currently use mine for travel when backpacking; but also for pictures in the ER where I work. These I use for teaching purposes for the medical students who rotate with us. A very fine piece of hardware that works as advertised.

This is a fantastic camera. I upgraded from D200 and happy that Nikon made the D300. They have changed around many of the menu items I was use to from my D200, but that is worth the better quality when I shoot at higher ISO's. I higly recommend for any serious photographer.

Wading through instructions is tedious, but love the camera. I upgraded from a D-200, which I liked very much. Most detailed photos I've ever had. We'll know more after more trial photos.

I did SO much research before buying this camera, originally thinking I'd get the Canon Rebel XSI... This lens is amazing, it's so powerful and versatile that when I compared it to buying the Canon body and 2 Canon lenses that would cover a similar zoom range, the Canon option stopped making any financial sense.

I'm extremely happy with the photos I've taken with this guy, from massive gigapixel panoramas to HDRI to action shots at the dog park. It makes photography as simple as you need it to be or as precise as you want.

I know the D700 is coming out soon -- unless you are a serious pro and working in a lot of low-light, don't bother paying more for this. Full-frame sensor isn't worth the premium.

Bought this D300 with 18-200mm package based on the all reviews here for Alaska vacation just week before we left. Pictures came out good to poor and wildlife/landscape pictures came out very soft to soft at 200mm. Lens is not sharp as lot of pics shot wide angle 18mm and telephoto 200mm are soft. Disappointed. Also, lack of experience with Nikon D300 may have hurt me. Initial pictures were shot with RAW+Fine JPEG (14 bit loseless uncompressed) but that slowed D300 in taking pics and took up lot of memory so switched to fine JPEGs with optimal quality. That worked fine. Found Noise in the pics after came home as I had not changed factory camera settings and auto ISO caused some shots taken at 400-800 ISO with noise. Also, somehow factory settings had all my pics shot as bracketed 0EV and then next one -1.0EV for all of them. This will ruin my panoramic pics of landscapes and make my job harder in trying to correct it.

I would rate this camera with 18-200mm VR II lens package 3 stars based on picture quality and performance. Complex menu system with lots of options.

Also, I would like to see Nikon include robust RAW software free instead of buying it.

Hopefully with more experience and lot of manual reading this camera will allow me to take better pictures.

Definitely not for entry level or not too experienced amateurs.

I've been using the D300 for slightly over a month now and so far I haven't been disappointed in any way with how it's performed. At the beginning I wasn't getting pictures as sharp as I would have liked them but that was mostly my fault and since then I've refined my technique and I don't think I've ever seen sharper results. The camera is fast and paired with a faster CF card you can just keep shooting and never run out of buffer space shooting in raw.

If you're coming from an older camera like the D70s like I did, some of the new features may take some getting used to, the biggest change was the focus points. They did away with Closest Subject, the Dynamic Area focus is now quite complex with options for 9/11/51/3d area tracking options and the third option is "Big White Rectangle Mode" Ken Rockwell refers to it as such and since I can't remember it's actual name, I'll just refer to it as such. BWRM uses all 51 points automatically and the camera decides what should be the focus point, so far it's worked great for me, the things I want in focus are usually sharp, sometimes it gets it wrong, but since the camera can't read my mind, I don't mind really. Unfortunately the camera can sometimes be bogged down in 51 point mode if there's a really busy scene. The focus can sometimes lag before taking your initial shot but if you choose a mode with less than all 51 points then you'll never have this problem.

Battery life on a single EN-EL3e seems to be around 400-500 shots with heavy LCD usage which is much better than I thought it would be. Still, I ordered a second battery and the MB-D10 grip so I can continuously shoot without stopping to change batteries. I'll probably do an update to this review once the grip is here.

I don't think I can say anything bad about the camera, it's definitely a step up from the D70s, using the D300 exclusively then trying out the D70s makes the D70s feel like a child's toy. The D70s is still a great camera that I took some wonderful pictures with but I'd never go back to it after using the D300.

The Nikon D300 is everything the advertising claims and more. I own a D200 and as such a person you wouldn't think I would need to upgrade to a 300, however, I needed a second camera and thought what the hey...lets get the newer one. And, it makes the d200 seem like a kids toy. The options are even better laid out, the reaction time is faster, and the quality of the image is unreal. This camrea is all Nikon claims it is and more.

I upgraded to the D300 from the D80 about a month ago. I have been an advanced amature and avid Nikon user for many years. The D300, simply put, is not only the best camera I have ever owned, it is the best value.

The D300, of course, includes many improvements from previous digital Nikon SLRs which it shares with the D3. Some of these improvements are incremental, others are much more useful for people who really care about their photography. These include the new processing system for exposure, the new 51 point AF system, and especially the greater flexibilty in the D300 for modifying color saturation and gamma values. This allows much more flexibility for creativity than for previous Nikons I have owned before. For example, setting the color saturation for vivid with a plus 2 or 3 value allows me to take photographs with much deeper color on the D80 or the D200. In addtion, the gamma control allows manipulation of overall tint without the need for having to purchase a range of color filters. The advanced focusing system really comes in handy when photographing moving subjects either in performance or sports.

At perhaps a third of the price of the D3, and sharing most of it's features (with the exception of having a full-frame sensor) the D300 is a tremendous value and offers entry into professional photographic equipment with advanced capablity at a relatively low price. All I can say is go for it!

I am one of those guys who finds a brand and sticks with it. I have been using Canon's for 12 years. I have had everything from a Canon EOS 1N, to a 1V, 1D, 1D Mark IIN, etc. But I gave up on Canon because they didn't have camera bodies that were light, or small enough but also took amazing photos. I switched from Canon to Leica and bought the $5,000 M8. A truly incredible machine worthy of the high price tag. But it was limited. I found after using it for several months that I had gotten used to having all the latest bells and whistles that the new digital SLRs have.

So, I spend countless hours researching what Canon to get. Luckily, I needed a camera with auto focus for a shoot and my friend loaned me her D300. I can honestly say that it was love at first sight. I had only had the Leica for a couple of weeks, but I knew at that moment I had to ditch it.

The D300 has just about everything I'm looking for in a camera. Yes, I would love it if it could fit into my shirt pocket, be as light as a feather, etc. But it isn't. It is however, when paired with my Nikon 17-55mm DX lens about 1.2 pounds lighter than my Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN when paired with the Canon 24-70mm L lens. And I have to say, I think this is as capable, if not more capable than that camera and lens system. The shots I have gotten from it are unlike anything else I've taken. They have a depth and clarity that I rarely got from my Canon gear.

Here are my plus points:

1. The feel of the camera. It sits in your hands nicely and you know you're holding something strong and robust.

2. All of the latches, seals, doors, etc. are nice and tight. They don't feel like plastic, but like a composite of some kind. Everything snaps nicely into place without protest.

3. Images are extremely sharp and the color rendition is incredible.

4. It's size. It's not so small and light that you think you're going to break it. But not so big that you wouldn't want to bring it everywhere with you.

5. There are so many dials and buttons right at your finger tips. It takes longer to learn than my trusty old Canon system did, but once I got the hang of it, it was easy.

6. The 3" display is a marvel. It makes my images sing!

7. The dust removal system. Haven't had a lot of time to test this out, but if it works, it's great. It doesn't take more than a second and makes almost no noise.

8. The shutter seems much quieter than my Canon. It is definitely much quieter than my Leica which sounded like a plane landing.

That's about it. I just really love it. Well done Nikon! With this I believe they can overtake Canon in sales and if not in sales, than in customer satisfaction.

No Canon has felt like this in my hands except for the $4,000 1D models which are bears to carry around. I won't lie and say the D300 is the best SLR out there. The Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III is world beyond this, but it's $8,000. And no one needs 21.1mp. The Nikons 12.3mp will satisfy anyone for many years to come. Very large enlargements can be made from this camera. My website www.tayloryoungphotography.com will be showcasing many photos taken with this beauty. I promise!

I eagerly awaited this camera only to find that it is an Australian serial number not a US. This means if it breaks, that Nikon USA will not fix it.
I am really upset.

I owned both the Canon Rebel XTi and 40D with 24-70 F2.8 L and 70-200 F4 IS L and just used them as a casual amateur photographer. I was very happy with the images they produced. I was even strongly considering the 5D when along came the D300 w/ 18-200 VR lens. We all know Canon and Nikon regularly leapfrog each other. But I seriously believe 2008 is Nikon's year. I compared the image results from the 40D and D300 and the latter just trumped the 40D hands-down on every aspect. It was close to film quality. Colors were more vivid, ergonomics are MUCH better, a rockin' LCD screen, dust and weather sealing, 51 AF points, 100% viewfinder coverage, vital controls like flash exposure compensation are not buried in the menu, ISO 1600 images with little decrement in quality, etc. Taking photographs is lots of fun with this bad boy. Another big reason for the switch was the 18-200 VR lens. Instead of changing lenses and risking dust to get in the sensor, I just leave this lens on and it does most everything I've ever wanted in a walkaround lens. One downside is that my Canon buddies have labeled me a "traitor," and always give me a hard time for it, but I can live with that.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1UIR5WOG8SIOP Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
I'm Dustin Diaz, a Web Developer and Photographer at Google. This is me talking about my D300. I have opinions and I talk about them here. Overall this is an excellent camera and would highly recommend this camera. If anyone has a question or comment, feel free to comment on the video. Cheers.

To start I am an a amateur photographer with about two years experience.
I own a D40,which was my first and really enjoy it for family and everyday shooting.Great colors and focus.I then purchased the D80 which I have had
great success with and love it!But when I purchased the D300 there is no
comparison.The 51 point focus is awesome and the color choices are unbelievable! This thing is awesome when it comes to speed and focus.Quick
accurate response time is great for nature and fast moving subjects.
The pictures you take will make you feel like a pro with the very first shots taken.
The menu is so easy to use that it makes ease of changing and getting exactly what you're looking for.There is a lot in the menu but with a little time you'll get it fine because it has a help section.Anyone thinking of going another step up to a pro camera should not look elsewhere as Nikon truly has created a gem!To me this is a five star camera because of performance and the rugged build quality,A+

I had not learned all the features of the D200 but I am glad I upgraded to the D300. It makes better pictures. More pixels, less noise, higher ISO. I adjusted saturation up a notch and like the result.

The thick and well cross-referenced manual still leaves me with some questions about how things work, specifically about non-Nikon lenses and about how flash controls interact.

Have my new Nikon 300D with 18-200 lens approx. a month.
Just returned from 2+ weeks in Alaska and my pics are great.
Have been playing with different settings and if one reads the manual or some of the excellent guides that are available all should be smooth.
A camera for the here and now and for years to come.
A winner in every sense. Experiment and you will be rewarded. I use my polarizering filter and the results are great.
If you want quality construction and Nikon reliability get this camera.
All other manufacturers strive to equal this one,so why get a 'knock-off' ?
Great for anyone who loves photography and wants more than holding your camera at arms length to capture those memorable times.
No different than reading a book or just picking up a synopsis .
Spend the money,spend the time using your brain and discover the world !!

This is my first DSLR, and I'm glad I waited for this. Feels much like my F100...on steroids. I'm just scraping the surface at this point and am thoroughly impressed.

I'm going to try to keep this short. Controls are perfectly spaced and in the right places, 6 Frames per second is fast but add the MB-D10 grip and you get 8 frames per second. It's been great not just for sports but also photographing children on the go. Thanks to Nikons picture control system adding different profiles to the camera or sharing with other photographers is a snap. i'd also recommend the mb-d10 grip as it balances out the camera and just feels right. there just seems to be something missing without it. not to mention the ability to power the camera from AA batteries rather than 40 dollar EN-EL3e batteries. For $20 you can buy Energizer 2500mah NiMH batteries which last longer than the 1500mah lithium ion batteries. HDMI output is nice but have only used it to test it. Live view is great for the strange tight spots photographers sometimes find them in. i've used it to take pictures over the heads of other people in crowds or while setting the camera on my shoe but didn't want to smash my face into the ground to look through the viewfinder. the shutter release takes a little getting used to and expect to occasionally snap two shots while in Ch mode (highspeed). the high iso performance is great however if you are looking for unbelievable high iso performance look at the D3. For examples of photos taken with this camera go to http://www.flickr.com/bl117 .

this camera produces the most realistic and artistic file grain I have every seen. Noise is very beautifully rendered. Images are usable even at ISO as high as 3200.

Look at some full size images of the Canon 40d and even the more expensive 5D for comparison, you'll be surprised at how much more capable this camera is in low light.


Solid build, customizable menus and controls, 51 AF points......they just sweeten the deal even more.

i am very happy with the camera. i previously owned the d200 so this was an upgrade. the d300 is very similar in physical appearence although the features are much improved. the only problem i had was that the vendor sent me a unit that was not brand new as the box had been opened and some things were missing. Amazon was very responsive with an exchange or a refund or keeping the item but with a discounted price.

All I've read here are rave reviews but my experience is that the D300 is vastly overrated as a shooter. I bought mine brand new at Best Buy with a Tamron zoom lens and right out of the box it wouldn't autofocus properly. The motor would whirr and the lens tried feebly to focus in on a the subject without success.

Took it back to Best Buy and we tried a Nikon 55-200VR lens and that didn't work any better. I was going to try another D300 but they were out of stock and I was already soured on this product. I've owned Nikons before -- I still have the remarkable D40 -- and was looking to step up. For the hefty $2,400 price (with lens), I expected a lot more. Deeply disappointed.

I wound up buying a Sony A700, a vastly superior camera in most respects, even with the kit 18-70 lens, and never looked back. Plus I saved $1,000 to boot.

Nikon has a good rep, but the great d40 notwithstanding Sony Alpha-Series cams outperform in many ways, including easy of use, photo quality and build. Nikon has the edge in customer service, however. And, value-wise, hard to beat the D40.

I upgraded from three years with the Nikon D70s. There are not enough words to describe the completeness, quality, or flexibility the D300 proffers advanced amateur photographers. What prompted me most to make the leap is the video tutorial on Nikon's web site. And it only scratches the surface of the feature-richness of this marvel of cameras. My favorite (though there are many) is the ability to customize all the settings to fit four different scenarios. For instance, if I go from shooting a landscape to shooting flash, I can instantly switch to all the settings I want for flash photography by making just one menu selection. A corollary to that is all the custom settings can be saved to a .bin file on your computer. So you go out in the field, fiddle with everything, come back and reload ALL your default customizations in a matter of minutes. If you take the plunge, you may want do what I did: I got Thom Hogan's "Complete Guide to the D300" and religiously went through it step by step--all 790 pages. It took me about six weeks, because with each step, I'd take the camera up and try/experiment. This has done two things for me: It has greatly shortened my learning curve and increased my overall satisfaction and comfort level with it.

Others have covered the basics, so let me just say that this camera simply helps me take better pictures than any other camera I've owned, period.

Yes, there are lots of cool features that do all sorts of wonderful things, but at the end of the day, I seem able to take my D300 out with a few of my favorite lenses, and even just walking around town, I always come back with at least a few gallery-grade shots. Between the camera's capabilities and the comfortable controls, it just always seems to be ready to do exactly what I have in mind, and my results show it.

I tried the 18-200 zoom, but wasn't impressed - I found it a bit soft. The 16-85 has become my favorite "walk around" lens, supplemented by the magnificent 70-200 2.8, the 10.5 fisheye and the 60 micro. Together, these give me about all the options I'd want, and the whole thing fits in a backpack style case.

Don't forget to buy large (8GB) memory cards...they fill faster than you might think, especially if you choose the option of shooting raw (NEF) and JPEG at the same time - that's nearly 20mb per picture.

Also don't overlook the very good Nikon Capture NX2 software that comes with the camera. I have Photoshop and lots of other applications, but while Capture NX2 isn't as flexible as Photoshop, it also seems somehow a lot simpler to go from the idea I have in my head to a finished print in my hands.

Only minor gripe I have is with battery life...I find that on my typical mix of flash and non-flash shots, reviewing images on the built-in screen and so on, I get about 150-200 shots per battery charge. I have a few spare batteries, but perhaps it's a reason to buy the add-on grip.

Bottom line is that the D300 has proven to easily be the best thing I've done in a long, long time to improve my photography.

I ordered my D300 on July 24th of this year after reading hundreds of reviews on Amazon, Adorama, Ritz, Newegg, Ken Rockwell and others. Every once in a while, Nikon will produce something that it's users absolutely fall in love with. In the entry level market, it's the D40. At the advanced level it was the D70. In the high end market, the one between the advanced and professional market which only Nikon has established, it's is the D300! Many try to compare the D300 with Cannon's 40D. No, the 40D is not in the D300 class, it's better compared with the Nikon D80. There's a reason the D80 and 40D are around the same price and are 600 dollars cheaper than the D300.

I moved up from a D40 which I only shot with for about 7 or 8 months. Often there is a learning curve spoken of, this depends on your current shooting style and can be either steep and challenging or shallow and easy. Because of the way I shoot with my D40, this learning curve was easy for me. I never use any preset modes or dummy (auto) mode. I always shoot in manual or shutter priority. If this is your style then you will love the D300. It has no preset modes and no auto mode so it is not for anyone looking to get their first DSLR.

Much has been made in these reviews about all the technical things this camera can do. While one cannot speak of this camera without mentioning them, I will do my best to explain briefly at least two of them and when to use them for those who may not be familiar with them.

1.Active D-Lighting (Adaptive Dynamic Range) is great for contrasting subjects or environments. It subtly brings up dark shadows to enhance detail while controlling the bright areas to preserve highlights. It should be turned off however if there is little contrast in the composition as it can sometimes cause focusing errors. For example, a brown bird on a brown background which is almost camouflaged. Active D Lighting in this situation may cause the camera to focus on the ground instead of the bird. There are four settings for it; low, normal, high and off. You will need to experiment to see which settings suit your taste.

2. You can get up to 51 points of focus including 51 point 3D tracking focus. The latter of these is useful when tracking a soccer player across a field with other players running in front and behind him/her constantly or tracking a bird moving through the branches of trees. Normal 51 point focus is good for wider shots and you will only see the focus points when they light up after pushing the shutter release half way. Lets say you're trying to get a flock of birds or something; then you might want to switch to the 11 points of focus as these are spaced wider in the frame allowing you to capture more widely scattered subjects. 9 focus points are good for close ups and portraits that you want centered in the frame. For wildlife photographers like myself, the 21 focus points are good as that allows you to fill most of the frame with the subject in focus. The final mode of focus is continuous which is selected by a switch on the left front of the camera and one which, if you're like me with a large hand and long fingers, may accidentally change your focus mode because it can get in the way when you have long fingers. This mode focuses continually, allowing you to track birds in flight. On the back is another focus related switch that selects the focus points used. At the top is a rectangle thats pretty much an automatic selection of the 51 focal points. Most of the time it selects the right ones but not if you're doing wildlife shoots. As any wildlife shooter knows, cameras can have the tendency to focus on the wrong thing. This mode is best not used for wildlife. In the middle is another selection that shows a small square with with small dots on all four sides of it encompassed by brackets. This will use either the focus points you preselect in the menus (9, 11,21 or 51).If this is used with the S on the front switch it will actually move the center point anywhere around the frame as the subject moves. This it will do only if you've selected the S (for single) on that switch in the front..The selection on the bottom looks like the previous one without the small dots. That selects a single focus point. That S tells the camera to only use one focus point. That switch can also be set to M for full manual focus. This Explanation of focus is somewhat oversimplified but it will give you a good starting point when dealing with the focusing of this great camera.

I could go on about the technical aspects of this camera but that would indeed take a few days to write! I will tell you that once you have this camera in your hands, you will never want to put it down, seriously. I love my D40, I haven't used it though since I got my D300. If you have the money to get one, don't wait for a better deal, just go out and buy one and start shooting with it today. I got mine in advance of the fall and winter migrant birds I like to shoot arriving in Southern California. I wanted to get a good feel for this camera. Everything on this camera works beautifully.

I never even went into the color and white balance selections as other reviewers have done a great job of that already.

I will be updating this review as time passes. Any questions feel free to contact me. I hope this helped at least some of you.

here are a few photos taken with my D300:

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/102090599

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/101522663

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/101319666

http://www.pbase.com/shonn/image/102090431

The Nikon D300 is one of those 'keep forever' cameras with capabilities more than any serious photographer could want, except of course cheaper price. I am almost overwhelmed by the options and versatility of this camera. I travel a lots and have graduated from an Olympus OM-3(film) to digital point and shoot and now the D300. Happy birthday to me from me.

The first, the very first image from the Nikon D300 with it's 18-200mm lens (all around lens for me) showed me I had made the right choice.
Snapped an image of neighbor across street standing beneath his American
flag. On the computer screen I could see the stitches in his pants and some loose threads hanging from the flag's edge.
There are many features and options on the camera I personally will not need (it is loaded) but I believe it will fit each amature and professional requirements alike whatever they are.

I purchased this camera before visiting Cape May, NJ to bird watch. The 51 point AF system is awesome if you have the proper lens to take advantage of the camera's capabilities. It is fast and has the horsepower to meet the needs of all but the most demanding photographers (who will purchase the D3).

I was initially concerned with the weight, but after using it a few times, I did not notice the extra weight compared to my D50. It actually fit my hands better.

Lastly, having the flash commander mode was wonderful. I used in with a remote SB600 without issue. I loved having the ability to dial in the exposure for the on-camera flash and the SB600 from the menus in the D300. I took family portraits at the beach near sunset. I set the exposure for the ambient conditions and had the proper flash settings within a couple of test-shots (and I'm not a pro either - this is very easy to do with the Commander mode enabled). Even with the ambient light changing each minute, I coule easily change the settings to exposure and the flash to account for the reduced available light.

I highly recommend this camera to everyone I meet.

D300 is my first dslr and I am so happy with that. I bought it with the 10-135mm lens and it is perfect for everyday shooting. My last camera was Coolpix 8800 and I am not going to compare it with d300. If you are planning to buy your first DSLR, D300 is the best.

I've only had this camera for what seems a very short while. I bought it refurbished from Cameta through Amazon. It seemed like I was taking a chance in order to get quite a price break. I can tell you that it was worth it. I have had no problems with the camera. It came with all the standard accessories. Other merchants were selling refurbished D300 cameras but they did not come with all of the manufacturer's standard accessories.

I feel as though I have just scratched the surface of the features that this camera offers. I upgraded from a Nikon D1H with 2.7 megapixels. I got quite an increase in picture detail. I am quite pleased that I am able to use all of my Nikkor lenses that have the AI mount and anything newer. I am very impressed with the wide exposure latitute this camera offers (if I use that term correctly having used film SLRs since 1971). The noise reduction is as good as they said it would be. I was concerned about that due to Nikon's reputation for not having the best noise reduction in its DSLRs of the past. This camera handles it well.

The 3 inch monitor is wonderful unless you're in bright sunlight. My only criticism of the camera is that I find myself looking at my own reflection rather than the image I have just taken.

I recently took my wife's portrait because she needed an 8X10 for a head shot. The best frame turned out to be a horizontal one and I cropped it quite a bit to get a vertical print. You would never know from the quality of the print that it had been cropped from perhaps 30 to 40 percent of the frame. I don't think I could have done this with my 2.7 megapixel camera.

I look forward to a lot more fun and productive picture taking using the Nikon D300 and I recommend it highly.

The Nikon D300 will take well in excess of 1,000 photos on a battery charge - with the standard battery. The quality of photos is strong, though autofocus in limited lighting is underwhelming. Generally satisfied with the value for the money. Arrived undamaged, well packed, on time.

The camera has lived up to the professional reviews that I read during my research. The high ISO performance has been outstanding. My main use so far has been fast action sports (volleyball) inside low light gyms where flashes are not permitted and I have gotten very nice action shots. For those who never venture off the automatic setting of their current camera, I would not recommend this camera since it does not even have one. There is a learning curve, but it is well worth the effort.

Could not be more satisfied with this camera: the resolution, color correctness, the many ways to record an image, the ease of use, the construction -- all superb.

If you can afford this camera -- get it!! You will not be disappointed.

I researched this camera on Amazon, but because it was so complex, I bought it at my local camera store (Shutterbug), paying full retail for the "customer support". BIG MISTAKE. They don't help you at all! They don't even put in the battery or show you anything. I got much more and better support for this when I bought my lenses and extra's from Amazon and it's partners. They will spend an hour with you on the phone talking you through setting it up, even though you didn't buy it from them. Cameta and Adorama are especially good. So, save some money, don't be a sucker like me, and buy your camera from Amazon! BTW, this is one great camera. Really complex, but wonderful. Buy the book "Nikon D300 Digital Field Guide" by J. Dennis Thomas with it!

This camera was given to my wife and I as a gift. Neither of us are experienced photographers and were looking to pick up the hobby when my parents bought us this camera. We have had it a few months and we have a lot of fun with it. While we do feel we are in over our heads with some of the features, it has been great fun to learn about photography.

I have owned a Nikon D70, D70s, D60, and D80. I bought this camera earlier this year and I love it! I use it mainly for weddings. It has great noise reduction. I normally shoot at 400 ISO, and I definitely feel comfortable shooting at 800 ISO and somewhat comfortable shooting some pictures at 1600 ISO. The color is great. It is easy to use for a professional DSLR. The buttons are placed well on the camera body. It's a fun camera to use and performs great for everything that I have put it through!

The Nikon D300 is one of the most versatile advanced amateur DSLRs on the market. In fact, I have built most of my wedding photography business around this camera and its extraordinary potential. At this time, the Nikon D90 has lowered the demand for the D300 which means that its cost has gone down a few hundred dollars from when I purchased it. What a great time to buy!

Similarities to the D3:
1. 51 autofocus points.
2. 8 frames per second (with the battery grip; 6.5 fps without)
3. Customization of features for quick changes in camera settings in the field
4. Excellent weatherproofing
5. Active D-LIghting

Advancements over the D90:
1. D90 features 4.5 fps versus 6.5 on D300
2. D90 cannot meter with old manual focus lenses
3. D90 is not weather-sealed
4. D90 has 11 autofocus points versus 51 on D300
5. D90's fastest shutter speed is 1/4000 vs 1/8000 with D300
6. D90's viewfinder offers only 96% coverage vs. D300's 100%
7. D90 has a 100,000 shutter cycle vs. the D300's 150,000
8. D90 is limited in customization
9. D90's max flash sync speed is 1/250 vs D300's 1/320
10. D90 does not use the professional speed CF Cards.

Are these features enough to convince you to go for this camera? That is up to you, but for me, they are plenty to keep me using this DSLR as my primary camera for (maybe) years to come!

Best-
Jason

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
This camera is everything it's cracked up to be. It was missing the eye piece cover for timed shots; Amazon made good on it immediatly.

great camera. get the 8gb udma transcend cf card. u'll have plenty of space shooting raw with a fast card.

A wonderful camera, super fast responsive and flexible: however I have to agree with other reviewers, this thing is a behemoth. So much so that I had to go out and also purchase a D60 body for "everyday use". I can't lug around the heavy D300 for very long, especially on a hot sunny day outdoors!

Also, will someone explain to me why they had to put a reflex mirror in this thing? The Live-view function is such a "klugey" pain to invoke that it might as well not be there. Why don't they dispense with the mirror altogether and employ the joy-to-use electronic viewfinders found in the plain vanilla point and shoot cameras? All I want is a body where I can swap lenses, coupled with an electronic viewfinder so that I can rapidly switch from LCD screen to viewfinder. I hope they someday come out with an ALL digital SLR, one that doesn't need a 1930's vintage mechanical mirror to make it work! Don't you?

Since I moved from the D70s to D300 it has further increased my pleasure to press the gentle button to capture a moment. This camera is extremely stable, especially with the VR function in the Nikon Lens. The menu has many choices to enable specific photography. Also the continuous shooting is a real improvement and makes very beautiful action-pictures. Very pleasant is its LED matrix focus device that can be seen in the viewer. Real super technology for the amateur/professional photographer.

Amazon.com is giving the best price/package ratio, after my search on both the web and specialized shops in the DC area.

if you're heavily invested in DX lenses w/ nikon and looking for a fast, high-end body look no further. this is the best DX camera from nikon. a lot has been said about this body already, so no more comments from me!

After researching DSLRs week after week and reading hundreds of reviews, I know there isn't much I can say about this camera that hasn't already been said! So here's my own personal spin (non-technical): my first DSLR was a Sony A100. After being frustrated with the autofocus and wanting to upgrade lenses, yet finding them expensive and hard-to-find, I decided it was time to jump ship and go with either Nikon or Canon from this day forward. I was completely torn between choosing the Nikon D90, the D300 or going with the new Canon 50D. Choosing a brand for lenses seemed almost more crucial to me than the camera itself! In the end, I came to the conclusion that ANY one of these cameras or brands would be completely fantastic in it's own special way. Compare all you want, but they each have something unique that sets them aside and made them a draw in my mind; as a bonus, all were within my price range. The dealbreaker came when I finally got a hold of a Canon 50D in my hands and found that as much as I LOVED the feel of the camera, the menu navigation just didn't click with me as much as Nikon's menu (complete personal preference here). So that made it easier to choose Nikon. Having held both (which I HIGHLY recommend), the D300 felt more solid and secure in my hands. I was hesitant because it does lack the "cheater" settings as I call them, but I took the leap anyways. I have not looked back for a moment! If I didn't have the extra money to spare OR if I wasn't comfortable with my own settings, the D90 would have been just as fantastic! But to me, the D300 is a camera with a lot more potential to learn and expand over the years. I see myself keeping it for many, many years and only ever spending my money on lenses anymore. With the D90, I fear I would have wanted to upgrade the camera again in a few years to something more professional, consequently cutting into my lens fund!

Conclusion: pick a camera today that you would like to keep and grow with; then use all your money in the future for better and better lenses, regardless of what new camera is announced. For me, the D300 is definitely the one: this camera is a keeper so now I can focus the rest of my time and money on building my glass collection!

I shoot a lot of sports and the improved auto-focus, high iso performance and 8fps (with the vertical grip and AA batteries) makes me want to sell my D-200 and get another D-300. Be sure to get bigger faster CF cards so you don't have to worry about changing during the game. I got a pair of 8 gb cards and love them. I used to fill up a 2 gb card in the first half of a football game. Oh, and the lcd is "to-die-for" as well. Another surprise I got was that the flash would sync at 1/320. I shoot under crappy high school field lights and get great results. Give me a little daylight and I get unbelievable results.

Bought the camera off Amazon after weeks of research. Its the finest camera I've ever used. The control I have over the camera and its intuitive controls are incredible. Invest in a decent book (e.g. Busch) as the manual is complete but very poorly written. I bought mine with the Nikkor 70-300mm lens. The lens/body combo is unbeatable.

I recently upgraded from a Nikon D70s to the Nikon D300. I was rather unprepared for how material an upgrade it was. From its lightening fast and nearly flawless autofocus system, to the incredible fps rate, to its overall ease of use, this camera is incredible. The controls are layed out so intelligently that it allows you to very quickly change your shooting preferences. The only complaints, which are minor, are that the switch at the base of the camera's lens mount that controls the focus type (manual, single, continuous) is exposed and easy to inadvertantly change. I am also a little disappointed with the onboard flash system. However I just ordered the SB900 Speedlight which should remedy that. Overall this camera is pro quality in every way, and the good far outweighs the minor issues.

I expected some improvement over my D200 but so far it has been much more than I expected! The color is far greater! I really think that Nikon has done their homework on this model. If any one has doubts about buying this model,I would highly recommend it. Just pick one up shoot a few frames,download and see what I mean.

From what I read before buying this body was that it is the less expensive sister to the formidable d3, and so far I'm believe it!! I upgraded from the now completely obsolete d100... a total pleasure and no comparison, really! While I am still exploring all that it's capable of, it certainly fits the bill. Certainly the larger viewing screen makes a world of difference, but the menu is far more intuitive.
I am only in the first weeks of getting to know this camera, but am loving every minute of this new relationship!!

The lens on the other hand... it's a great all-purpose zoom, but really not recommended for shooting in low light.

The Nikon D300 DSLR is one of the most feature rich cameras for it's price. The Nikon D300 is is a rugged camera with a magnesium alloy frame and a fair amount of weather/dust sealing. The ruggedness of this camera is apparent from the moment you first pick up to handle it. The controls and buttons are well placed and easy to use, and if you've used other Nikon DSLRs, you'll find the D300 controls quite familiar with few exceptions.

At 12.3MP from it's DX sensor, the Nikon D300 offers crisp accurate colors and sharp detail that can't be found in the lower priced consumer level cameras. The quality is especially noticeable in less than perfect shooting conditions such as poorly lit situations, where the auto-focus performance coupled with usable images up to the ISO 3200 range. That's not to say the D300 doesn't have noise at it's higher ISO settings, it does, but the noise levels are much more acceptable than past offerings such as the D200 or D100 Nikon DLSRs. The Nikon D300 can be pushed right up to ISO 6400 though the noise starts getting very ugly in this range, but it can make the difference in getting the shot or going home empty-handed.

With the Auto ISO feature, you can specify what ISO ranges you want the camera to work with, and what the slowest shutter speed is you want the camera to use before stepping up to a higher ISO level for you. This is especially helpful when photographing in fast-paced settings where you don't have time to fiddle with all the settings for a perfect exposure, the camera helps you get the shot faster, and gets you the proper exposure without dropping the shutter speed down into unacceptable ranges. I find this feature the most useful when shooting in aperture priority mode.

Many people find the Nikon D300 doesn't produce the eye-popping photos they expect right out of the box, but one needs to bear in mind that the D300 isn't a consumer level camera, and shouldn't be expected to perform as one. It's definitely worth the time to learn how to properly use all the features this camera has to offer. The images from the D300 are at their best once you set the camera up to your own personal shooting style, and learn some good processing techniques in photo-processing software such as the excellent Nikon Capture NX2 or equally impressive Adobe Lightroom programs.

The Multi-CAM 3500DX auto-focus system on the Nikon D300 is very impressive, and even in the lowest light settings, I've not had any problems with the D300 acquiring focus nearly instantaneously without having to resort to using the annoying focus-assist lamp which I keep turned off. The 51-point 3D focus tracking is especially impressive, and as to date it's been able to keep up with any demanding situation I've tasked it with such as indoor sporting events and night-time action photography.

I could go on and on about all the countless features of the Nikon D300, but you can read about them easily enough in the product feature list, or the multitude of reviews that are nothing but rehashed feature lists with little insight offered into the actual functionality of those features. Suffice it to say, of all the features the Nikon D300 puts on the table, they all work with a level of precision that won't leave you disappointed. Once you take the time to learn to use all the features this camera has to offer, and how they work together, there's hardly a shooting situation you wouldn't be able to handle with this gem of a DX sensored DSLR.

The Nikon D300 was the camera that convinced me to complete my migration from Canon's EOS Digital system. My previous main body was a Canon EOS 20D. I liked that camera, but had become frustrated by its small rear display and lack of a sensor dust-removal system. I have a collection of manual focus Nikkor lenses from my film days, and I tested the Nikon waters a few years ago by purchasing a D40 to experiment with those lenses. Using the manual lenses on the D40 was less than satisfactory (no metering), but I did find myself turning to the D40 regularly over the following months. I preferred its treatment of highlights and noise to that of the Canon - the Nikon approach to image processing undoubtedly results in a more "film-like" result.

Anyway, back to the D300 - The display is gorgeous - HUGE compared to the Canon 20D. The image processing is superb: low noise until ISO 1600, but the noise that is there is not unpleasant (unlike the blotchy results I would get from the Canon at those speeds). The grip feels great in my hand. The viewfinder display is very usable. I don't find myself accidentally adjusting the exposure compensation as I often would on the Canon. Auto-bracketing: check. Matrix metering with AI-S lenses - Woo Hoo!

I could not be happier with this purchase. Great value.

Great product. One issue which I find to be problematic is the indoor, low light metering, which takes shots that are frequently underexposed unless measures are taken to address the camera's metering decisions. This is an issue regardless of the metering method in use. Anybody else having this issue I wonder?

What can I say? Simply fabulous! I am an amataeur and just got the blue crane digital intro video so I can learn all the great things the camera can do. I also have poor vision so I am glad to have an SLR with a big monitor. Right now I just use it on P mode, which is similar to auto. I have been a Nikon SLR user since way back in the film days. I had a D70 (which I just sold) and loved it to death (I hate to have given it up), but my failing vision forced me into the D300. I am sure Nikon won't dissapoint. all the pros say it is an amazing piece of machinery and I trust that it is :0)

This is a fantastic camera and I'm thrilled to own it. Not much to complain about and most of the other reviewers covered the pros and cons really well. I'd give it 5 stars if it weren't for one very annoying restriction: the inability to bracket exposures in steps greater than 1 EV automatically ( of course you can do this manually) Silly restriction that makes creating HDR's more of a pain. This is a great camera otherwise and I highly recommend it.

I decided to go with a 're-certified' d300 over a brand new d90, which was a difficult decision to make at the time. The decision essentially boiled down to a better camera vs a camera with video capabilities. Since I was upgrading from a d80, I decided to go for the better camera - and I couldn't be happier. The in-camera controls are great and allow for quick adjustments. It takes great low light shots (compared to the d80) which I'd always had trouble with before. Since there is no scene mode dial (which I never used on the d80) that space is opened up for other quick adjustments. I can now set a preset white balance in about 5 seconds.

It's a little bigger than the d80, and also heavier, which I don't mind. It doesn't fit as well in my old holster case, but the fact that it's a metal body and sealed somewhat gives me peace of mind when I'm out in the elements.

Overall it's a great camera. I sometimes wish for the video capabilities still, but the increased quality of my shots makes up for it.

The Nikon D-300 has to be the Rolls-Royce of Digital Cameras. The capabilities of this camera are endless; it's a true professional Digital SLR. Nikon quality is built into every aspect of this camera. With 12.3 mega pixels, the pictures come out crystal clear and the colors are vivid. New features like "Live View" are very useful. The large LCD screen is crisp and clear and great for seeing if your pictures are in perfect focus. All in all, this is a must have in my book.

The Nikon D300 is the best DSLR so far made for the advanced consumer market. The features included in the D300 are or are almost the same as the professional Nikon D3 professional camera that is over three times the price. Best buy that I have made in a while and I am quite satisfied with the 18 to 200 mm lens and the SB-900 flash that I have purchased for it.

I've been using this camera since a couple months after it was released and I just love it. It takes some amazing images. Not to rewrite what so many have already written, I'll just summarize the features I like about it.

1) The 3 inch LCD is the envy of every photographer I've worked with who doesn't have one
2) This camera has a Live View mode, which I don't use much but some people do.
3) The 12.3 mega pixels is very nice
4) The ability to shoot at ISO 1600-3200 and still get usable images is great. With my D200 I never go over ISO 800
5) You can zoom way in on images when viewing them
6) The Autofocus system is just awesome. 51 points and color. They say the Auto Area AF mode can detect human faces but I don't use that feature.
7) I have its dust removal system set up to remove sensor dust at startup and shutdown
8) The Active D-Lighting gives me more dynamic range
9) I like the rubber covers instead of the screw caps my D200 has (had until I lost them)

This really is the best camera you can get for under two grand. Canon may have something comparable by the time I write this but I'm not really following the Canon line so I wouldn't know. I just know that this is a truly amazing camera and you will not be disappointed.

For a good tutorial book on this camera, have a look at Darrell Young's Mastering the Nikon D300.

I'll get right to the point since all the other reviews covered any and everything imaginable. This was an upgrade from my D70s which I've had for about 3 years now. While the D70s is a great camera for still and slow moving subjects, I realized that it had it's limitations (focusing speed on fast moving subjects,small viewing screen size - 2.5", etc.). After watching the D300 demo videos on Nikon's website, scrolling through the features and menues on the camera and snapping a few shots, I can tell you that this is an "Incredible" camera! The speed and features are like nothing you can imagine! For a camera of this quality and price range, you can't go wrong! This is truely a "Pro Quality" camera!

I just received my D300 today and it was not new. The seal on the software was broken, the English edition of the user's manual had obviously been handled (the plastic bag containing the manuals had been ripped open). The quick start booklet was missing, the camera itself had been removed from the plastic bag it was in...

Thus the 3 stars. This camera has wonderful reviews both online and from friends who are photographers.

I immediately sent it back (postage and insurance at my expense - to be refunded in the future). I am so disappointed. My last few shipments from Amazon have had items loose in the box instead of shrink wrapped to cardboard. I hope this isn't an indication of things to come!

I will update once I've received my full refund and can then order another D300. As a dedicated Amazon customer, I'll give them one more try.

Reviews I read made it sound like the D300 was leaps and bounds better than all other Nikons before it, and all other competing brands today. I had such high expectations that I also had disappointments. I mean, it costs 10 times as much as a compact, weighs 10 times as much as a compact, and is 10 times bigger than a compact, yet I usually don't get 10 times better pictures than with my compact(s). I'm not a professional photographer, but I've thoroughly learned how to use the D300, and can now usually get much better results (sometimes only after extensive editing, or with added lighting) than I can with my compact(s), but I must say today's little P&S's take some pretty darn good pictures, as long as there is plenty of light. So, if you are an amateur and considering buying one, just be aware that the quality of your pictures may not skyrocket like you hope. Note: The D300 is the first and only SLR I've owned, and some of my comments are more specific to SLR technology than the D300. Some specifics:

- Depth of field tends to be shallower than on a compact. - this is good for taking pictures of subjects that you want to stand out, but bad for taking close-ups when you want the whole subject in focus. And its harder to get the underside of a mushroom with it, than with a smaller camera.

- When using LiveView, the display shuts off as soon as you initiate focusing to get your shot - better get used to using that viewfinder ($180 for a Nikon right-angle viewfinder to keep from having to lay on the ground, or when there just isn't room, oh - then you need a camera bag to carry it in, along with the other things...).

- For a deeper depth of field, if there isn't enough light after stopping down the aperture, flash can be added - and the D300's built-in flash is quite nice. Since depth of field is hardest to come by the closer you are, the flash is a nice way to acheive it, although I now have an entire bag just devoted to supplemental lighting.

- Photos of people have far less red-eye than with my compact(s), even with just the built-in flash (I dont use the obnoxious red-eye flash mode)

- Lens changing provides more options than with a compact - watch out for dust on the sensor though. Fish-eye is super-fun and useful - I've taken great fish-eye shots, as well as great wide-angle - after fish-eye lens correction and cropping. Beware that telephoto lenses to get as far as, or further than a compact super-zoom are extremely expensive, big, and heavy.

- You can take pictures with less light than with a compact - do not underestimate this plus - compact cameras perform well under ideal lighting conditions, but many pictures are taken in less than ideal lighting, especially if you are into wildlife photography where you are shooting at dawn or dusk, into a shadow, ... - this is one of the biggest pluses of the D300 in my opinion. I'm constantly amazed when I hear people say "low-light performance is not a big factor for me". What? - I mean taking pictures indoors almost always constitutes a "low-light" situation. Pictures taken in shadow are often "low-light". OK, if you put your camera on a tripod and dont shoot moving subjects, then low-light isn't a big factor - unless the wind is blowing...

- I maintain that when pictures have been taken under ideal lighting conditions, and when viewed at normal screen resolutions, my compact does just about as good a job as my D300, sometimes better actually. That said, when viewing super-sized, or when blowing it up for print, or if the image will be extremely cropped - the D300 is by far the better tool.

- SLR cameras make audible noise (mirror and shutter). This noise can scare wildlife and/or offend humans. Compacts can be made silent.

- I am enjoying the more precise focusing and faster performance of my D300, although I'll swear the automatic metering does not seem to do as good a job as my compact(s). On the other hand, I find myself using manual exposure modes more and more, in which case the auto-metering does not come into play, and since I shoot RAW, it is easy to adjust exposure after the fact without much quality penalty.

- RAW images often do not look as good as the JPEGs that come from the camera, until after spending a while editing.

- Another complaint: I don't think the user interface of any modern cameras is very good. I wonder what Apple would come up with if tasked with designing a camera's user interface. For example, the D300 has four banks of settings, but they are in two sets, and they include all settings, and if you change a setting you change the bank. There is no way to define a subset of settings, or to change settings that don't get saved in the current bank, or to even define default settings to load the camera into a preferred known state (you can load factory-defined defaults, but not user-defined defaults).

- Some other things to be aware of: Nikon charges extra for its editor, and remote control programs, and the Nikon wireless interface is $700. Also, the speedlights that support CLS are very expensive, and CLS only works line-of-sight (indoor bounce helps, and outdoors you can funnel control light into the IR sensor using a tin-foil construction, but what fun is that?). I don't use the editor, but I've spent several hundred dollars on CLS lighting and I'm still not happy with it - camera only controls 2/3 groups (A & B) so you need an 800 or SB-900 to control group C. Also, you can't control individual units, just groups. I've found I usually end up walking around several times to adjust positions of the lights anyway so having remote control of flash compensation on a group basis is not that valuable, if I were doing it, I would use radio-waves for communication, and provide positive feedback from flash unit to camera so you know whether a flash is likely to fire ahead of time, and whether it did after the fact, and can control as many lights as you want individually or by group - b.t.w. I am a professional engineer. Also, the same radio-comm would be built-in for camera control and picture transfer, obviating the need for a WT-4A, external devices would merely add power and range). As it stands, I just do without the computer and wireless interfaces.

All in all, I love my D300, believe it or not. I just think reviews are most valuable if they include the disappointments and stuff too. After spending $2200 for D300 with an 18-200 lens, I have spent another $2000 on additional lenses, and say $800 on lighting, accessories, and software, so my total picture taking upgrade is like $5000, in order to get better pictures sometimes, or to get pictures that I wouldn't otherwise be able to get sometimes, and to be able to get pictures that aren't quite as good as my compact at other times. My camera bag(s) together weigh over fifteen pounds, and I'm scared to leave them in my car.

PS - I always have my pocket camera with me, and only have my D300 with me when I plan to take pictures. If I do bring my D300, I don't stop along the way for anything that would require me to leave it out of my sight.

Summary:

If you've got lots of money, are into still photography, and are willing to deal with the inconveniences of the D300, I'm still guessing you can't do much better in a sub-$2000 DSLR body - just be aware what you are getting yourself in to.

You can contact me at [...] if you want to talk further (no spam please).

Wow, I recently bought the sony a350 14.2 megapixel and I can tell u that the sony a350 its great camera, very good pictures, BUT, BUT, after reading a lot of reviews about the NIKON D300 and like three weeks of shooting with the sony a350 I needed more from that camera, I noticed that at 300mm the sony losses a lot of picture quality. well short story, I GOT THE D300, and let me tell u guys that when I came back from the park with around 400 shoots, all I said was, wow wow wow, the colors of this pictures are awesome.
Now, I will tell u this, Im not pro but if u buy this camera you will feel like a pro, you will love this thing believe it, but this is the point, if u are not a pro or if this is your first SLR camera i would recomend buying the 18-200 vr lens for it, why?, why, because from 200mm to 300mm there is not a big difference, that happened with me when I had the sony a350, I had the 18-70 and the 75-300, yes of course 70mm doensnt do anything, so u need more, and like I said 300mm is not enough, so I would recomend to get the 18-200 vr wich is an exellent lens and, and if u thing you need more zoom, look for something gives u al least 500mm, I have the D300 WITH 18-200 AND THE SIGMA 150-500 and believe me I cant ask for more, Im so happy with this kit, if u want to read about the sigma 150-500 go to sigmas 150-500 I will write a review.

Anyway, if u have the money and ur thinking of buying this d300, THEN GET IT, dont look for more reviews, ITS exellent.

I don't normally review products but I often refer to the reviews before purchasing and do extensive research. I couldn't really find any drawbacks to this camera and I'm thoroughly impressed by the quality, intuitive and abilities. I upgraded from a Nikon D70s looking for more options and more program flexibility. I bought Brouche's book to go with the camera and have spent about a day reading and learning about all the functions and customizing just about everything you can imagine. It takes time to customize the camera in order to truly take advantage of the price and features. After taking a few sample pictures, I'm very happy with my purchase. Once you read about the functions, you are good to go and it actually does help you become a better photographer as you have more control and input on your picture taking. If you are looking for a simple to use point and shoot and let the camera do all the thinking - it's great but overkill. You could get away with a D80 or D90 and save some money. But if you want full customization, endless programming options and a "heavy thinking camera" you won't be let down. Amazon had a great price on it and I bought it with a Nikon 17-55 mm lens which I'm sure impacts my picture quality. I highly recommend this for anyone that truly appreciates learning and using advanced photography options but not for someone that thinks they need to "step up" from a D90 to get a better camera...just because.

This is my very first DSLR and I'm so pleased I got the Nikon D300. I've waited more than 6 months after it was released so I can read the product reviews and reviews from other buyers about this camera and I was sold.

I've been into photography since I was in the university. My first cameras were the film cameras from Minolta and Canon. Then, I have my Canon SD Powershot point and shoot. After a few years of shooting with the point and shoot, I've been wanting to do more than just what the P&S can do. Last November, I bought my first DSLR and it's Nikon D300 from amazon. Day one was overwhelming but after browsing its manual and reading the book on D300 (I bought one of these -- Mastering the Nikon D300 by Darrell Young, David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography), it was not hard at all. I'm a computer programmer by profession and for me, it's just like getting acquainted with a new software application that has a learning curve but a lot easier and more exciting. It also helped to read references from Ken Rockwell website, Byran Peterson's Understanding Exposure, and others to fully enjoy photography using a DSLR.

I also bought a Nikkor 16-85mm as my first lens, B & W 67mm UV Haze Multi Coated Glass Filter, Hoya Moose 67mm Warm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter, SLIK PRO 340 DX - Tripod, OP/TECH 37012 Pro Loop Strap, MA-B Remote Shutter, and a spare Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery to start my DSLR setup especially for landscape photography.

You may check out my list at listmania: Miss D300 DSLR setup.

I just came back from my first trip with my D300 and I'm more than happy with the shots I took. I couldn't wait to post the pictures in my website!

The richness of the features of D300 is just amazing. Will come back for that soon...

Happy shooting!

Miss D300

I have been a Nikon digital photographer for over 10 years. I began with the Coolpix 775 and worked my way through affordable iterations of this product line until I purchased the D40x and plunged into the world of dSLR, as Nikon makes it, opening great vistas for me. A year later, I purchased the D80 from a fellow shooter (one I've teamed up with during all these years) who bought the D300 last year.
The D80 was more than adequate to my needs, but from our first wildlife shoot together, I heard the shutter click on my friend's D300 at near the speed of light (6fps, not even the 8fps the D300 can produce with a battery pack) and I reasoned that my 3.5fps was still not too shabby, even though my friend was breaking down water bird take offs into micro-slices, from my perspective with the D80. What sealed the deal was the resolution quality at ISO 1600 that made dusk shooting possible with noise under reasonable control with some Imagenomic Noiseware and CS3 magic in the digital darkroom. I now shoot as high as ISO 1250 and can do post-processing in Noiseware and CS4 with very pleasing results.
The D300 offers more camera control than I've needed thus far, but the ability to set up 4 banks of shooting personal menus is very, very powerful and makes getting for your favorite types of shooting (wildlife, landscape, people, low-light, etc.) a simple selection in the "Shooting Menu Bank," in the camera's main menu. Remember, I've only opened the box on this piece of elegant machinery, having owned it since the middle of November this year.
I recommend the D300 to any enthusiast/semi-pro shooter that is interested in taking their game to a whole new level of photography not available in less of a camera. I won't kid you, this is what I had to sell my D80 and pull some savings to get, but I'm very pleased with this camera and it's multitude of possibilities. You won't be disappointed.
I bought through Amazon and free-shipped to save a bit of money. As has been my experience with them, this one was on par with their keeping their promises.
Caveats: Not for the "auto-shoot" player. Not for someone starting out in the world of dSLR (the D40 is the camera to cut your teeth with, or even a used D40x, both make great photography possible). Research your needs on line. A man who shoots both Canon and Nikon has some very clear reviews on any camera from these manufacturer's-Ken Rockwell, Google it and you'll get to his site. Finally, if $ is no problem and you've got some dSLR under your belt, you're already shooting with the advanced models or looking for a less expensive path to excellence in photography, this camera will perform above your expectations.
I hope you enjoy yours as much as I am mine.

I've used Nikon for over 25years and past 10 yrs or so it's amazing how Nikon has become humble (thanks to Canon). I remember Nikon charging for every single thing (nothing was for free), but now they put in all those top of the line features in semi-pro camera.
I love everything about this camera, the AF, Flash system, ergo, built quality, LCD, battery life (~1000 shots in one single charge).... once you start using it you can't let it go. on the low side, it's bit heavy (expected), High ISO isn't as good as D700 ;).

i am new to digital photography. two years ago i purchased a nikon d40 and over time two additional lenses (50-200mm vr and 50 mm f/1.8). i really like the d40 and have learned a lot. i especially like talking pictures using the Program, Aperture, and Shutter modes where i feel more control with the camera.

i wanted to step up to a next level camera. i finally decided on the nikon d300. all the controls are easily accessible, the viewfinder provides more information, the lcd panel on the back is larger, information regarding settings is available through the lcd and also a display on the top of the camera body. i have found it an easy transition from the d40 to the d300 especially since all my lenses are usable; in fact the 50 mm is now easier because the AF works with the d300.

in researching this purchase, a close alternative seemed to be the d90 which is lighter, a newer product, and less expensive. however, i actually preferred the heavier body and the d90 appeared to me to have the same quality sensor as the d300 but with fewer features.

I got this camera half a year ago as a replacement for D80. While the latter is very fine camera, the D300 is absolutely superb camera.

To begin with, the size, balance, ergonomics, and build quality are perfect! The D80 always felt a bit small in my hands. The D300 feels just right -- almost like natural extension of your hands.

But the most amazing is the richness of features to make this camera as flexible as you please. Four shooting banks combined with four custom banks give you incredible variety of permutations not found in any other camera.

This flexibility however may be a curse for a novice photographer. You can take fantastic pix with D40,60,80 right out of the box, not so with D300. Expect at least 3 months of learning and experimenting before you feel comfortable with the camera. A dissapointment and frustration will result if you don't learn how to use it properly!

I would highly recommend reading Young's and Busch's books on mastering the D300. These authors digest the cryptic info found in the manual into comprehensible set of instructions sprinkled with tips and tricks to make your learning more enjoyable. If you are impatient, you can apply settings compiled in Excel spreadsheet by the Nikonian community. For a starter, it will give you four custom settings for point&shoot, landscape, portrait, and sports photography.

In addition to the versatile 18-200mm lens, buy Nikon 50mm f/1.8 for low light and Sigma 150mm for macro photography. These are inexpensive yet superb lenses that supplement 18-200 very well.

Whether you are seasoned professional or a novice photographer, this camera guarantees to provide you with plenty of enjoyable work and past times. Just make sure you want to devote yourself to this wonderful hobby before committing to buy this fine piece of equipment.

I've been using Nikon DSLR's since 2005 for my "paying hobby". Officially, I created a photography side-business in early 2005 using a Nikon D70s (great camera). This was after a couple of years of ramping up my photography interests from an occasional point-and-clicker to a very serious hobbyist. I very quickly upgraded to the D200 (better camera), using the D70s as a backup. And, in early 2008 upgraded to the D300 (best camera), selling the D70s , leaving the D200 as my backup. I've captured around 15000 images with the D200, and am currently up to about 8000 clicks with the D300. I shoot all types of photography: wildlife, landscape, portraitature, architectural, wedding & other misc. events. I do not consider myself a Pro (only about 10% of my current income comes from photography), but I would like it to evolve into my full time career, someday. :)
In my opinion, the Nikon D300 is easily Nikon's best DX format (not comparing to FX formats, like the D700, etc.) DSLR out to date. And, currently, the best in its class compared to other brands. Please keep in mind that the latter statement (my opinion) is only based on much reading-on & a little hands-on experience with some of the rivaling Canon DSLR's. I am not discounting Canon's great line of photographic equipment (or other brands) at all, just comparing current models with closely related price range and feature set. As a matter of fact, to this day, I still advise all who ask that since the quality of the top brands is so close, that the most important thing to do before making a decision on your first DSLR purchase is to personally handle several models of several brands, and choose the one most comfortable and easiest to understand; it's all about individual user preference. I DO tell them that I am MOST familiar with the Nikon line, and will be better able to "assist" them, if they get Nikon.

Here are a few features that I find useful and that I have not found repeated hundreds of times over in hundreds of other reviews (like excellent focusing, vivid colors, noise handling, etc.):
- One of the in-camera editing tools, the Crop tool, allows me to simulate a 4x5 crop (8x10) when taking group portraits. This enables me to make sure that I'm not cutting off people parts when clients will invariably order 8x10's of large group shots. I wish the largest cropping boundary would start at the outer most edge of the image, but that's really nit picking a good feature.
- The D-light edit allows me to quickly see how an image looks with the shadows brightened up a bit, even though I only shoot RAW. I will end up deleting this jpg copy when I copy images to the PC, and post-edit the exposure, but I can immediately see if the image still looks good with a brighter exposure adjustment.
- The My Menu feature is GREAT for quickly accessing my most accessed settings. With the latest firmware update, you have a choice to use the My Menu or a Recent tab (like the D200 has).

Little things about the D300 that are different from the D200 (that haven't been mentioned hundreds of times):
- D300 Command and Sub dials are more recessed in, so they are not as easy to accidentally spin.
- The D300 lens mount seems to lend a tighter connection.
- The D300 shutter release sounds "tighter", does not have the slight echo/vibration sound at the end of the click, like the D200 does.
- One small feature that I actually do NOT like better on the D300 is the highlights display feature. It blinks on the most uncluttered display page, not on the cluttered data page that has the image as a thumbnail, but that's nit-picking really.

Another good thing is that I'm not at all tempted to upgrade since the D700 would mean getting at least two more fast/pro lenses to take advantage of the full size sensor, leaving all but one of my lenses (Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR ¡V beautiful lens!!) "out of the picture" (I know that I could still use them at 5 megapixels, but that doesn't count for me). And, I don't need the video feature of the D700 at all. The D700's much better noise handling at high ISO's would be nice, but the D300's noise handling works really well with 99% of my shots. In fact, thanks to the D700, at least in part, the price of the D300 is much more affordable!
Also, I highly recommend David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide book. I was very familiar with Nikon DSLR's already, but his book really helped fill in the gaps, and helped me take advantage of all of the D300's excellent features.
The photographer IS still the most important part of the image capturing equation, but I truly believe that overall the D300 delivers better looking images than the D200, and all earlier DSLR models (even considering identical lens, technique, and minor settings differences to take advantage of individual camera body's features), and is well worth the extra expense of a new body purchase.

I have had this camera for 8 months now and it is absolutely fantastic. I have done landscape, head shots, interiors and macro, the results are outstanding. The lens on my camera 99% of the time is the 17-55mm f/2.8 and with this combo, I can about conquer the world. If you get this camera, please put good glass on it and you will not be sorry.
I have not had any issues as of yet with this camera and I plan on keeping for a long long time!
Happy shooting.

I bought the D300 through Amazon in Sep 08. Work & other commitments left me no time to put it to the test until Christmas break and WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. I insert freshly charged Nikon battery and the next day the camera says battery discharged WITHOUT taking any photos. This is referred to on numerous internet sites as the "low battery problem". I've been struggling for the past two days trying to fix this and other problems with little success.

If you're interested in buying this camera, there a lot info out there about problems with the batteries or power to the camera. Buyer beware. I've found references to these problems dating back to Jan 08. Strangely, there there is absolutely nothing on the Nikon service site about these problems. Or maybe not strangely, I sent them email 30 hours ago and I'm still waiting for Nikon's 24 hour response.

Next step I guess is to find how to return the camera through Amazon.

I finally took the leap into the higher price points and picked this camera up. For indoor shots I use the sigma 30mm f1.4, for the outdoor zoom pictures I use the sigma 50-150mm f2.8. I found the best approach for me is to use it in standard mode with +1 saturation.

In summation, this camera takes amazing crisp photos. The clarity and vivid colors are no less than stunning. The numerous tweakings will take some time to experiment with, but for point and click I'm very happy with the results so far. 51-points of autofocus - also the 3" LCD viewfinder is glass, and has 920,000 pixels of resolution vs. 230,000 for lesser models. It gives you a far superior image, and thus very accurate information for adjusting your pics.

I have owned many cameras of all sizes over the years including several different professional level cameras when I owned a studio and color photo lab. I did portrait and wedding photography for many years. Back then you didn't dare show up to shoot a wedding using a 35mm camera. (I used Hasselblads). I owned several Nikon 35mm cameras...the last being the Nikon F3 which I used for vacation and nature shots. When I retired I made the switch to digital and I used both Nikon and Sony products to record travel and family events. Digital initially wasn't too impressive but has evolved into a medium that depending on the equipment can exceed film in print quality and in all cases ...ease of use. Now...35mm size SLR digital cameras are the norm for weddings and most other events.

I recently bought a Nikon D300 and have to say that this is by far one of the best camera I have ever owned. The quality of the pics at even high ISO's of 1600, 3200 and even 6400 are pretty amazing. With most other digital cameras that I have used the photos start noticeably coming apart at around 400 or 800 and at higher ISO's usually weren't acceptable for printing larger prints.

The Nikon D300 is solidly built and a joy to use. There is a little bit of a learning curve..(the Manual is 461 pages long)...depending on your degree of photo expertise. At this point in time I can't see myself buying any other camera for years to come. As far as anything negative the only thing I can think of is that the camera is a little on the heavy side. I did a lot of online research... reading testing and feedback reports... before I bought this camera. In all cases the Nikon D300 received high marks.

I won't make this a technical review as there are already many of those...
My photography experience stems from being a Photojournalist in the Navy for 6 years shooting film, and then more recently being a photo assistant for some commercial shooters just for extra cash. (most of them using cannon equipment)
I like the Nikon D300, and their products in general, because of their easy functionality, the menus are easy to navigate and settings can be quickly switched on-the-fly. Image quality is superb. You can go full-manual, or select aperture or shutter priority, or switch to program mode and let the camera do all the hard work with it's pre-programmed "scene recognition" system. Some of the lower-end Nikons have extra modes such as Sport, Portrait, Landscape, etc... right on the dial, the D300 does not, but it does allow you create those types of modes with your own custom setting for each and then save then on your custom shooting menu... no problem.
I got the 200mm zoom lens kit, which is a decent piece of glass, but would recommend the 50mm fixed lens for stills, portraits and landscapes.
In general, this camera does everything the big-buck cameras do, uses the DX format lenses that are far less expensive than the full frame FX ones, and has wonderful image quality and reliability as well as ease-of-use out of the box. The only limitation is the user... You!

I have to say that this is an OUTSTANDING camera, and anyone looking for a great all around prosumer level camera need not go anywhere else. I haven't shot as many shots as I would have liked to with it, but everything that comes out is wonderful. I would recommend getting a 3rd party book for the D300 - there are so many personal adjustments, that you might not be able to take advantage of if you simply pick up the camera and shoot. I came from a D70s which served me well, but this camera is leaps and bounds ahead in technology with the Picture Control System, updated Autofocus system, and overall picture quality. I would happily purchase this product again any day! You will not be disappointed!

Wow I really cant believe its my first camera...and its of course in good quality and since I just start learning about photographing...its somehow really frustrating that I have to adjust all the stuff several times before I can get the effect I want...if you are beginner and want to go further without spending another couple thousand bucks to change your camera its a pretty good choice...but if you just want to know how SLR works or whatever its obviously not proper unless youre very rich...and the lens is wonderful...Hmm its your choice anyway I just wanna say its great...

I won't write as long a review with all the tech specs, because it looks like that has been done a number of times (which is very helpful to read!), but I did want to offer my review. I am a professional photojournalist, the D300 is simply the finest quality with it's incredible low noise at high ISO, speed, durability, trueness to color, sharpness, etc. and does not get any better for DX format Nikons. Just a few quick things I haven't seen mentioned much:
This surpasses every non-full frame camera body I have ever used in both the nikon an canon lines in every way, and even has a few features that the D3/D3x don't have but are very nice, one of these is the somewhat lesser known feature that the d300 can work as a commander for remote flashes without any extra equipment. The d300 built in flash can be set to trigger any of your sb-600/800/900 flashes up to about 25 feet away (from what I can tell), which is so great for somebody who wants to experience some advanced light techniques without buying (and carrying) extras like pocket wizards (which are also amazing products). This link helped me, I'm really into getting my light right,[...]
This camera is also probably the toughest built I have seen, I have dropped it on the hard floor, spilled beer on it, and used it in the snow so much and it hasn't been damaged in the least bit. The controls are my other favorite part, for somebody who needs to change settings quickly and often, it does have many more buttons than any of the other dx models, which just means you have more control of your shots without having to search through the menu for what you want.

And my last suggestion, it looks like the price has been dropping on these camera bodies a lot, I would buy the body only (it still comes with with all the cords/battery/charger) everything you need, just no lens, and the kit lenses nikon offers arent such a good deal, and aren't the best lenses, buy the body, and then invest in nice lenses, and a nice speedlight, why use such a sweet camera like the d300 with just an average lens and third party flash right? Hope this was helpful!

AWESOME! This camera was rated one of the best cameras for the money.. the d200 is great but this is that plus alot: mainly live view but all the other additions the 300 has are awesome! :) if you dont mind reading a manual... this camera can take you to great places!

Hi all... I'm an enthusiast photographer from Sri Lanka. I got my D300 about a month back from amazon through a friend in USA. It's my 1st DSLR and I'm completely blown away by it and the photos it takes. Almost everything about this camera is nothing short of amazing.

There's only one downside worth mentioning and it's the Live View. Once you turn the shooting mode dial to LV, nothing appears on the screen. You have to press the shutter release once to lift the mirror and have the view on the LCD. But after taking the picture it goes blank again and you have to press shutter release to get the view back. This is an inconvenient and time consuming process. And I think Nikon have been a bit ignorant in this aspect. But this doesn't put me off at all because live view is something that I use very rarely.

I won't talk about any of the plus points of this cam because I want to keep this review short. Let me just say that everything other than live view is nothing short of brilliant.

About the 18-200 mm VR lens: In my opinion, this is the best kit lens out there. The quality it delivers is exceptional for a super-zoom and also for a kit lens. Unless you do macro or extreme telephoto work this is just about the only lens you need.

I have been a Proud owner of my D300 for over 2 months now and when you learn every little detail about what it can do and the options you have (user manual) it is simply amazing. I came up from a Fuji-S9600 to a used Nikon D70 and finally the Grand prize a Nikon D300. Sure the main highlight features are nice but its all of the other stuff that you do not see in the description list like How to use it to its fullest potential. The ability to have 1/8000sec Shutter speed With SB-800 Flash is What I Need. To have interval automatic picture taking capabilities is so sweet. The MB-D10 Battery pack is a Must for this beauty, and the 9fps with Seamless Transfer of power from a dead camera battery to a charged Battery pack Is Awesome. I do a lot of night photography and long exposures takes heavy tolls on the batteries and now I do no have to worry about the power dieing because the camera switches automatically without interruption to the next power source. Granted this is my first Professional DSLR but this one beats all in my book. The Customization of the camera to quickly switch between shooting moods with the custom button and YOUR Menu is a big help.
I can go on and on about this can do everything camera but ill let you buy one and see that you will not be disappointed as a Serious Amateur or even a Professional Photographer. You will fall in love and learn every little detail about it and use it to its fullest potential. I have no regrets buying this Nikon D300. The only Regret is that I did not buy it sooner... If you are thinking about it, so stop kicking yourself and GET IT.

OK - this won't be a long review, but I just want to get my 2cents in... I've used Nikons for 25 years (ohhh, I'm getting old...). I had a Nikon D70, and I was "this close" to giving up on Nikons -- that camera was a serious lemon. It was just no good. But after reading many reviews and talking to fellow photographers, I ended up getting the D300. And I LOVE IT! It's really an awesome piece of equipment. Sorry I lost faith in you, Nikon -- way to go...

This D300 was listed as new "Factory Reconditioned" for $1199. I was a little cautious but went ahead after calling the company Cameta. They said the cameras were used at trade shows, then go back to the factory for a thorough inspection and cleaning. I figure what could be better? I am very happy with the D300 and highly recommend Cameta. It came in a nice generic Nikon box with the contents as listed.
The D300 is a wonderful digital camera and I'm enjoying its high level of focus detail, color, and skin tones. I have some great lenses and with this camera its like they're all new and better! I usually have some levels and saturation to adjust in Photoshop, but most of the shots I've been getting are spot on.
Shooting in low light just got amazing and lots of fun, hardly any noise! I'm replacing my D200, which did its job, and there's no looking back.
Amazon delivers!

Having invested many thousands in body and lenses, I am stuck with a non-functioning camera that seems to have a design problem in the electronics. I am sincerely hoping that I am wrong but feel pretty disappointed right now. Specifically the camera shuts down with certain lenses in temperatures below 40 degrees (F). I have installed several firmware updates and returned it for repair but so far the problems are not resolved.

I ordered my Nikon D300 Nov. 18, 2008. I have wanted a Nikon for many years and after I got into digital I wanted a dslr. I decided the Nikon D300 would be the best I could buy. It worked great for about 2 months. Now it has developed the dead power problem. The AF stops working after a few shots. When it is cold it is worse. At first it thought -20 was cold now it thinks 40 above is to cold. Doesn't matter which lens is on it and a freshly charged very warm batters makes no difference at all. The problem is getting worse fast. Now I am finding lists of people who are having the same problem. I am going to do some calling tomorrow and find out where to send it back. I always believed Nikon was one of the best cameras. I guess I was wrong. I would recommend that you consider some other camera rather then the Nikon D300.

I and I hope many others will refuse to roll the dice on an $1800.00 Nikon D-300 body. I will stick with my F-100 until I hear good things about warranty repair and mean time between failure!

Well its not cheap, and if you are paying that much for a digital camera then you are serious about your photography. Surely its better than the comparable Canon but as soon as the D700 was released and I cannot stop thinking about upgrading but what would will I do with my 5 DX lenses! I am very disappointed with the noise I get in this camera even in low ISO and the only way to get rid of it is to get a full frame camera.

Now it's safe to say, there are a ton of great reviews for this camera, and I might not even have anything new to say, but I'm going to say it anyways.

I had the D200 (a wonderful camera as well) for about 16 +- months before considering the D300. I WANTED the D300, but didn't NEED the D300.

It all started one day when I started planning a trip to Florida ... sort of. I typically go out weekends to TRY and relax taking pictures. I'm new to this, so I spend a lot of time, but no where near enough time, shooting and learning to get the most out of the D200. Now I'm sure it's me and not the camera, but many of my shots were on the darkside (light - dark), so I was spending a fair amount of time dealing with this in PS, iPhoto and Aperture. Was this because I'm color blind, who knows, but it was an issue (for me). In any case, the D300 was announced and Nikon said it was a much better camera (surprise?). Well with my upcoming trip, I decided to see if I could sell my D200, and then get a D300 and cross my fingers.

Well I sold the D200 on a Monday, order my new D300 from B&H Tuesday, got it here on that Friday, got it together, tried it, loaded in the car, and left for Florida.

Well I took a few pictures on the way down, and read the book quickly (my first mistake), so I would be better prepared when I arrived in Florida.

Florida is about a 22 - 26 hour drive from Maine, so it didn't give me much time to play or read before I got there, but I was hoping enough. After all it was only an up-grade to a camera I had been using for some time now.

WOW, I took 25 +- pictures at a wonderful park across the street from the hotel I was staying, and ALL of the pictures were wonderful! Wonderful in the sense they weren't dark, blurry or anything. Yes, I said to myself, I got lucky, the default settings are more suited for the way I shoot, the lights better in Florida then in Maine, I just had a good nights sleep ...?

Well I have had the camera now for some time, and my rate of keepers is 10 fold over what it was with the D200. Now this only means I'm getting what I consider to be, better pictures, and after all, I'm the only one that matters here - right:)

I could ramble on for hours about this camera, but I'll close by saying "It's a wonderful camera, that I'm real glad I purchased". For me it has made a huge difference in the quality of my photo's, much for me means, I'll get better, easier, and will use the camera more.

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I was highly pleased to receive my new D300 quite promptly and ahead of the anticipated delivery date. These refurbished units are usually demo cameras from trade shows that sit on a table for a few hours, then are sent back to Nikon for a dust-off, tweaking, repackaging and massive price reduction! Superb! Everything was pristine and mint. Camera is exactly what I was expecting and performs up to specs. Anyone seeking a great deal on great equipment- I suggest you take advantage of these astonishing savings for what is essentially a brand new product that you receive.

I did my homework - got just what I was hoping for.
I am very pleased

This is the perfect semi-professional Nikon model for people like me (semi-professional) as well as for amateur photographers looking for maximum control. Unlike Nikon's consumer-grade SLRs the 300 allows full control of all camera functions. In fact, by removing the "scene mode" wheel (close-up portrait, action, &c.), this camera requires you to control the settings. I've done a lot of shooting with the D50, D70 and D90 and this is large step beyond even the outstanding D90. The image sensor is amazing and the sharpness and color capture are outstanding. I love pretty much everything about this camera. My only regret is that I didn't wait a little longer and get the D700 or Dx with the full FX image sensor. Otherwise, sweet camera and, if you search around, you can find a Nikon-refurb model for under $1000, which is an outstanding value.